Agartala, May 27 (IANS) Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday chaired a meeting with the senior officials of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) on the operationalisation of the defunct airport at Kailashahar in northern Tripura’s Unakoti district.

An official of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said the Chief Minister, during his recent visit to New Delhi, met Union DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and requested him to speed up the revival of the Kailashahar Airport.He had also written a letter to the DoNER Ministry and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on the matter. The CMO official said that in response to the Chief Minister’s request, an official team of the Airport Authority of India visited the Kailashahar Airport on Sunday to conduct an on-the-spot survey and on Tuesday met the Chief Minister.The AAI officials apprised the Chief Minister in detail about the defunct Kailashahar airport. Tripura government, for the past many years, has been demanding to operationalise the defunct Kailashahar and Khowai airports.The Chief Minister earlier said that he has requested the Central government to start international flight services from the MBB airport at the earliest. He highlighted that MBB Airport is one of the most beautiful airports in the northeast, with excellent modern infrastructure.“Several flights are currently operating with most of the important cities in the country, and more would be added in the coming days. There were discussions about initially starting international flights to Chittagong in Bangladesh, but given the current situation in the neighbouring country, that plan is on hold,” he added.Tripura Transport and Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury earlier said that it was decided that SpiceJet would operate flights on the Agartala-Chittagong route, and accordingly, the Tripura government had decided to provide Rs 15 crore to the AAI.He had said that the state government paid Rs 3.85 crore to the AAI as three months’ advance in December 2022, besides providing 25 police personnel to the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs.According to historian and writer Pannalal Roy, the land for the Agartala, Kailashahar and various other (now abandoned) airports in Tripura had been donated by the erstwhile Tripura kings.”During the Second World War, King Bir Bikram supported and helped the Allied powers, especially Great Britain. He deployed a contingent of the Tripura Army to assist Great Britain. During that time, Agartala, Kailashahar and other airports were built to facilitate the Allied powers,” Roy, who authored many books on Tripura’s royal history, told IANS.He said that in 1943, Japanese fighter planes twice bombarded Agartala airport.–IANSsc/dan

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday attended the ‘Civil Investiture Ceremony-II’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan in which 69 individuals were conferred Padma Awards.

“Attended the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II, where the Padma Awards were presented. The Padma awardees have made notable contributions to our society. The life journeys of those who were conferred the Padma are deeply motivating,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu conferred Padma Awards to 69 individuals who have made exceptional contributions in diverse fields such as art, literature, education, public affairs, medicine, social work, science, sports, and industry.The event was also attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and other dignitaries.The event marked the second phase of the Padma Awards ceremony for the year 2025.The Padma Awards, among the highest civilian honours of India, are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. This year, the government announced a total of 139 Padma awardees on the eve of Republic Day.Among those honoured in this phase were three Padma Vibhushan, nine Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awardees. The ceremony held special significance with 13 posthumous recognitions, honouring legends who left a lasting legacy in their fields.One of the most emotional moments of the event was the posthumous conferral of the Padma Vibhushan to late Bhojpuri and folk singer Dr Sharda Sinha, whose music resonated deeply with the Indian heartland.Other recipients of the Padma Vibhushan included former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar and classical dancer Kumudini Lakhia (posthumous).The Padma Bhushan awardees included social activist Sadhvi Ritambhara, known for her role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna, and celebrated journalist and author A. Surya Prakash.Among the posthumous Padma Bhushan recipients were legendary singer Pankaj Udhas, veteran politician Manohar Joshi, and economist Bibek Debroy. enowned Malayalam writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and Osamu Suzuki, the Japanese industrialist known for his pivotal role in Suzuki’s partnership with India.The largest share of honours came under the Padma Shri category, with 57 individuals recognised for their grassroots and innovative contributions across the country.Notably, 23 of the awardees are women, showcasing the growing recognition of female excellence in various sectors.This year’s ceremony reaffirms the spirit of “nation first, people first”, with awardees reflecting India’s cultural, scientific, and humanitarian diversity. The government’s efforts to democratise the Padma Awards have made them a true people’s honour, celebrating not just fame, but meaningful service.–IANSdan/

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday highlighted that terrorism, in whatever form it may exist, is the biggest threat to civilisation and human development.

“A threat to one country or one region is a threat to humanity,” he added. He expressed hope that in the fight against terrorism, all the countries would stand together with a common front and strategy.Birla made these remarks during a bilateral meeting with a visiting Sri Lankan Parliamentary Delegation led by Dr Rizvie Salih, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees of the Sri Lankan Parliament, in Parliament House, on Tuesday.The Speaker urged Parliaments of the world’s democratic countries to work unitedly against the global threat of terrorism.Welcoming the Members of the delegation to the Parliament House, Birla said that the friendship between India and Sri Lanka is based on shared cultural, spiritual, and civilizational values. He also thanked the Sri Lankan Parliamentary Delegation for expressing its solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism.The Sri Lankan Parliamentary Delegation is currently attending a week-long capacity-building program being organised by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE).Birla noted with pride that the common Buddhist heritage connects the two nations. He also mentioned the growing collaboration between India and Sri Lanka in areas such as fintech, digital infrastructure, and connectivity, highlighted by the recent launch of UPI-based payment systems in Sri Lanka and improved tourism links through sea ferry and flight services.Speaking about the various technical innovations being incorporated into the functioning of the Indian Parliament, Birla observed that the Parliament of India is promoting public participation and transparency in the parliamentary system through the use of digital and AI-based technologies.He expressed joy at the regular exchange of parliamentary delegations between the two countries, which has promoted mutual understanding and cooperation. He also underlined the importance of capacity building of Parliamentarians and emphasised how digital innovation and technology are strengthening legislative processes and public participation in both countries.Birla was happy to note that the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) has, over the years, organised capacity-building programs for parliamentarians and officials from more than 110 countries.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rizvie Salih thanked Birla for the hospitality extended to the Sri Lankan Delegation. He extended greetings on behalf of the people of Sri Lanka to the Parliament of India. Dr Salih said that both India and Sri Lanka share close historical, cultural and civilizational ties going back centuries.–IANSuk

Chennai, May 27 (IANS) With schools in Tamil Nadu set to reopen on June 2 for the 2025–26 academic year, the Department of School Education has issued comprehensive guidelines to ensure a smooth transition for students and staff.

The guidelines cover a range of measures, including infrastructure readiness, uniform and textbook distribution, and transportation arrangements. In a notification issued on Tuesday, the department detailed the tasks to be completed ahead of school reopening. These include the distribution of free uniforms and textbooks to all students on the very first day, mandatory campus cleaning, and preparation for a healthy and safe environment. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has directed all district education officers to ensure adequate transportation facilities, particularly in rural areas, so that students can reach schools on time. He also emphasised the need for the timely distribution of textbooks and uniforms, urging officials to ensure that no student is left behind on reopening day. According to senior officials in the department, most schools across Tamil Nadu have already received consignments of uniforms and textbooks. The remaining schools are expected to receive the materials in the next few days to meet the June 2 deadline. As per the new directives, all schools are required to undertake thorough cleaning of their premises before reopening. This includes cleaning of classrooms, toilets, drinking water facilities, and overhead tanks. The department has also instructed school managements to maintain a plastic-free campus throughout the academic year, reinforcing the government’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Admissions for the 2025–26 academic session began on March 1. However, the department has urged school administrations to continue enrolling students, with special focus on ensuring full enrolment in Class 1. Authorities have been instructed to monitor that no child is left out of the education system, and that students who have completed Class 8 transition seamlessly to Class 9 to prevent dropouts. “Every child deserves access to education. We must ensure 100 per cent enrolment, especially in the entry-level classes and in critical transition points such as Class 9,” read the department’s statement. With these proactive steps, the Tamil Nadu government aims to kick off the new academic year with a focus on inclusivity, preparedness, and student welfare. –IANS aal/dan

Patna, May 27 (IANS) The Bihar government has intensified its campaign against corruption, with a notable surge in vigilance action taken against public servants across the state.

The Vigilance Bureau has launched a relentless drive, resulting in 34 public servants being booked in just the first 150 days of this year.According to official figures, 27 of these officials were caught red-handed while accepting bribes, with Rs 12.46 lakh recovered from trap operations.In addition, four were booked under Disproportionate Assets (DA) cases, and three officials were prosecuted for misuse of their official position.The trap cases alone have already exceeded 2020’s entire yearly count of 22, with 27 traps conducted till May 2025.“The majority of those caught in traps include police officers (sub-inspectors and lower ranks), revenue officials, and executive engineers, indicating widespread corruption across critical public services,” said a senior officer of the state vigilance.“The increased success of the Vigilance Bureau has been partly attributed to the streamlined complaint system. Citizens can now file complaints through a dedicated helpline and by submitting written complaints in a complaint box placed at the Bureau’s main gate,” he said.Each complaint is reviewed, and the complainant is contacted before a thorough investigation is launched.“The swiftness of prosecution is also being emphasised. Most of those caught in trap operations have already been produced in Vigilance Court and sent to jail,” he said.–IANSajk/dan

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Vice-President and Chairman Rajya Sabha, Jagdeep Dhankhar, talking about Operation Sindoor, said on Tuesday that Indians are now nationalistic as never before.

The Vice President stated, “For national security, we need indigenous strength. War is best avoided from a position of strength. Peace is secured when you are ever ready for war…strength comes apart from technological prowess, conventional arms strength, from people also.”Speaking at the inaugural session of Rajya Sabha Internship Program-phase 7 at the Vice-President’s Enclave, Dhankhar underscored, “The recent episode, Operation Sindoor, has changed our mindset massively. We are now nationalistic as never before. And this is reflected in the participation of all political landscape in delegations that have gone abroad to project our message of peace and our complete intolerance to terrorism. And therefore, having seen recent events, well, we have no choice. We have no other option but to remain united and grow stronger…Like institutions, even political tribes have a moral duty to the national cause, because ultimately, all Institutions, the Legislature, the Judiciary, the Executive, the focal point is national growth, national welfare, public welfare, to generate transparency, accountability, and honesty. On issues of national security, economic progress, all factions need to put national interest over partisan priorities. I will appeal to everyone in the political spectrum to seriously reflect, come to a conclusion that on issues of national security, on issues of growth, on issues of our internal security, there must be a consensus. Sometimes politics get too hot for nationalism and security, something we need to overcome.”Emphasising that Parliament is the ultimate authority to make laws, Dhankhar stated, “Indian Parliament is much beyond a legislative body. It is a reflection presently of 1.4 billion people’s will. It is the only legitimised constitutional platform that reflects authentically the will of the people, and therefore, Parliament has primacy. Parliament has primacy not in everything because there are areas where the executive has primacy, how to govern. The judiciary has primacy how to deal with the justice system, but parliament has primacy on two counts- it is the ultimate authority to make law. Secondly, it holds executives accountable. Because governance is defined by some fundamentals, and one fundamental is transparency. Second is accountability, and in modern times, we have added a third facet to it. Optimal performance by institutions to gallop our progress trajectory…Parliament is a place, the ultimate place, for debate, dialogue, discussion, and discourse.”–IANSuk

Amaravati, May 27 (IANS) In another tragedy, three boys were feared drowned in the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district on Tuesday, a day after eight youngsters were washed away in the same river in Dr B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.The latest incident occurred near Raavi Lanka in Atchampet mandal of West Godavari.According to police, three boys who entered the river for bathing went missing. Police and revenue personnel launched a search operation.The missing boys hailed from P. Gannavaram in Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. They have been identified as Pawan Kumar, 15, Surya Teja, 12, and Praveen, 15.Meanwhile, the bodies of seven out of eight youngsters who drowned in the Godavari in Konaseema district have been recovered.Personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued the search for one youth.Bodies of Vaddi Rajesh,15, his brother Vaddi Mahesh, 15, and Subbitha Paul Abhishek, 18, were recovered on Tuesday morning. Later, the bodies of four others were recovered. The search was on for the eighth person.A group of 11 youngsters aged between 12 and 19 had gone to the river to take a bath near Kamini Lanka in Mummidivaram mandal.While three youth managed to come out, the remaining were washed away.Four of the youth were from Kakinada district, while four others belonged to Konaseema district.Personnel from the SDRF, police, Revenue, and Fisheries departments, with the help of local fishermen and expert swimmers, were carrying out the search operation.Eight boats, including three of the SDRF, and six drones have been deployed for the search, which is being supervised by Konaseema district Collector R. Mahesh Kumar and Superintendent of Police Krishna Rao.The youth had come to attend a wedding in the family of a friend in Seri Lanka in K. Gangavaram mandal. After having their lunch, they went to the river to take a bath.Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that when two of the youth started drowning, three others tried to save them, and when they too were drowning, three others tried to rescue them. In the process, all of them drowned.The remaining three youth, who managed to reach the bank, raised an alarm and appealed to the locals for help.–IANSms/vd

Shillong, May 27 (IANS) Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said that Meghalaya was one of the poorest states in the country, and the present government has been working to make it a developed state.

Addressing the gathering of 2000 people in Dolwaregre in East Garo Hills, the Chief Minister said that, “Meghalaya is among the poorest states, and though challenges remain, we are committed to progress.” Emphasising the need for clear targets, Sangma stressed that the government was working with focus but needed collective societal effort, adding, “As a community, we must work together to transform our state.” Sangma commended the Anganwadi workers for their hard work in social welfare, particularly in providing nutrition and healthcare to ensure children grow into responsible citizens. The Chief Minister also handed over smartphones to Anganwadi workers at a program held at St George Higher Secondary School in Samanda, East Garo Hills. The event was attended by Anganwadi workers from various parts of East Garo Hills, who received the smartphones. Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh and PHE Minister Marcuise Marak were also present. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the smartphones would enhance the performance and services of Anganwadi workers. The Ministry of Women and Child Development had funded Rs 6 crore for the purchase of 6,162 smartphones for the workers, supporting them in their critical roles. “The phones will bridge the digital divide and improve service delivery,” he said. The Chief Minister informed that the POSHAN App had been installed on the smartphones, which the Anganwadi workers would use to record data and information and perform other reporting tasks, ensuring better monitoring and implementation of social welfare schemes. The mobile application digitises the physical registers used by Anganwadi workers, improving the quality of their work while enabling real-time monitoring. He also informed that Anganwadi workers would be incentivised for regularly monitoring the growth of children up to six years old by measuring their height and weight and uploading the data to the POSHAN Tracker. During the program, the Chief Minister also distributed IIT Innovation ECO H2O Filters to Anganwadi centres, aiming to provide safe drinking water to children in rural communities. He also inaugurated the new building of St George Higher Secondary School, Samanda, dedicating it to the students and expressing hope that it would inspire learning, creativity, and growth. –IANS tdr/dan

Bengaluru, May 27 (IANS) As the political slugfest in Karnataka continues over the appointment of…

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) In a grand ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred Padma Awards to 69 individuals who have made exceptional contributions in diverse fields such as art, literature, education, public affairs, medicine, social work, science, sports, and industry. The event, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and other dignitaries, marked the second phase of the Padma Awards ceremony for the year 2025. The Padma Awards, among the highest civilian honours of India, are conferred in three categories: Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. This year, the government had announced a total of 139 Padma awardees on the eve of Republic Day.Among those honoured in this phase were 3 Padma Vibhushan, 9 Padma Bhushan, and 57 Padma Shri awardees. The ceremony held special significance with 13 posthumous recognitions, honouring legends who left a lasting legacy in their fields.One of the most emotional moments of the event was the posthumous conferral of the Padma Vibhushan to late Bhojpuri and folk singer Dr Sharda Sinha, whose music resonated deeply with the Indian heartland. Her son, Anshuman Sinha, received the award on behalf of the legendary folk singer, renowned for her devotional and Chhath songs.Other recipients of the Padma Vibhushan included former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar and classical dancer Kumudini Lakhia (posthumous).The Padma Bhushan awardees included social activist Sadhvi Ritambhara, known for her role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, actor-politician Nandamuri Balakrishna, and celebrated journalist and author A. Surya Prakash. Among the posthumous Padma Bhushan recipients were legendary singer Pankaj Udhas, veteran politician Manohar Joshi, economist Bibek Debroy. enowned Malayalam writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair, and Osamu Suzuki, the Japanese industrialist known for his pivotal role in Suzuki’s partnership with India.The largest share of honours came under the Padma Shri category, with 57 individuals recognised for their grassroots and innovative contributions across the country. Prominent names include playback singer Arijit Singh, cricketer R. Ashwin, author Pratibha Satpathy, former SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, and violinist Tejendra Narayan Majumdar. The list also included foreign nationals, NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs—ten in total—reflecting India’s acknowledgement of global contributions.Notably, 23 of the awardees are women, showcasing the growing recognition of female excellence in various sectors. The Padma Awards continue to honour unsung heroes—many of them from remote regions—who have made significant contributions without seeking the limelight.This year’s ceremony reaffirms the spirit of “nation first, people first”, with awardees reflecting India’s cultural, scientific, and humanitarian diversity. The government’s efforts to democratise the Padma Awards have made them a true people’s honour, celebrating not just fame, but meaningful service.–IANSbrt/vd