New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Union Ministry of Culture has planned a two-year official commemoration of the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, honouring the legacy of the visionary who founded Bharatiya Jana Sangh — a forerunner of the ruling BJP, an official said on Thursday.Sharing details of the anniversary celebrations that started on July 6, Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is working with a clear sense of direction to realise the vision that Dr Mookerjee laid out for a self-reliant, united, and developed India.”“After Independence, how India should be built and how it should become a developed nation — to give shape to that vision, the present Modi government is continuously moving forward on the path shown by him,” said Shekhawat at an event on Wednesday.The Minister said, “His soul must feel content seeing that today, Tiranga Yatras are carried out fearlessly at Lal Chowk in Kashmir.”Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal reflected on the enduring relevance of Dr Mookerjee’s ideals in present-day India.“He was a great patriot, a visionary educationist, and someone deeply committed to preserving India’s unity and integrity,” he said.He also emphasised the national scale and spirit of the commemoration being undertaken by the Ministry of Culture. “This commemoration is not limited to Delhi. It is observed in every state and union territory across the country. And it will continue for the next two years – as a continuous tribute to a leader whose life inspires every generation of Indians,” he said.Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, who represents the Udhampur constituency of Jammu of Kashmir, in his address, reflected on Dr Mookerjee’s multifaceted legacy as a scholar, scientist, and statesman.“He was one of the greatest scholars, academicians, and intellectuals of the pre-Independence era. Even the British must have acknowledged his extraordinary talent and brilliance. But what truly set him apart was the vastness of his personality,” he said.Anirban Ganguly, Chairman of the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, offered a sweeping overview of Dr Mookerjee’s life, legacy, and timeless relevance.Tracing his journey from early academic brilliance to his enduring influence on national politics, Ganguly highlighted Dr Mookerjee’s commitment to national unity and constitutional integrity.He recalled how Dr Mookerjee stood firmly against Article 370 and voiced his opposition with the historic words: “Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan, aur do Nishan nahi chalenge.”Ganguly further recalled, “He became a Vice Chancellor at the age of 33 — a record that still stands. He entered the Union Cabinet at 45, founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh at 50, and sacrificed his life at just 52.”He also noted, “In many ways, Dr Mookerjee was the embodiment of youth; he represented the aspirations of young India and laid the foundation for a confident, self-reliant nation.”–IANSrch/uk

Kochi, July 10 (IANS) In yet another setback for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government, the High Court on Thursday upheld the cancellation of the Kerala Engineering Architecture and Medical (KEAM) entrance exam results, marking the second consecutive day of legal blow for the state.The division bench dismissed the state government’s appeal challenging the single bench’s verdict issued on Wednesday, which had annulled the KEAM rank list published on July 1.The court maintained that the last-minute change in the eligibility criteria was unjustified and directed the authorities to revert to the original prospectus and issue a revised rank list.The controversy erupted after the state government issued a Government Order (GO) on July 1 — the same day the rank list was published — altering the evaluation formula.As per the amended criteria, the ratio of marks for Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry was changed from 1:1:1 to 5:3:2, effectively affecting students from CBSE and ICSE backgrounds, who alleged that the change was biased and arbitrary.The single bench of Justice D.K. Singh had ruled that the change was not only unfair but also violated the principles of natural justice. The court found fault with the government for modifying the prospectus after the exams were conducted and the results declared.Despite the swift appeal filed by the government before the division bench seeking a stay on the verdict, the bench upheld the earlier ruling, stating that the prospectus forms a binding contract and altering it retrospectively was legally untenable.The ruling has thrown the admission process for professional courses into uncertainty, leaving thousands of students and parents anxious. Parents of affected students, particularly from CBSE and ICSE streams, welcomed the judgment, accusing the government of acting irresponsibly.“This was completely unwarranted. How can a responsible government change rules after results are declared? We’re relieved the court has intervened,” said a group of parents after the hearing.Veteran educationist and former engineering college principal Prof R.V.G. Menon said this situation had been building up for long. “The only way forward is to strictly adhere to the published eligibility criteria. A clear, consistent policy must be implemented well in advance for the next KEAM cycle,” he added.KEAM 2024 was held from April 23 to 29, and the results were declared on May 14. The controversial rank list based on the amended criteria came on July 1, triggering the legal challenge.KEAM is the state’s entrance exam for admissions to professional courses, excluding nursing. It remains to be seen whether the state government will now approach the Supreme Court.–IANSsg/skp

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Spinner Radha Yadav will lead the India ‘A’ women’s squad for the upcoming multi-format tour of Australia, scheduled from August 7 to 24. The India ‘A’ women are set to play three T20s and as many 50-over matches, followed by a 4-day match against Australia ‘A’.The tour kicks off on August 7 in Mackay, which will host the three T20s. The action then moves to Norths, Brisbane, for the three 50-over matches, followed by the four-day clash, which Minnu Mani, who has played seven limited-overs games for India women’s senior team, has been named Radha’s deputy for the tour. Opener Shafali Verma, who made a return to the T20I side on the England tour, has been named in all-format squads for the tour.Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry, Titas Sadhu, and Shabnam Shakeel are the other noticeable names in the T20 squad, while Shreyanka Patil’s participation in the shortest format matches will be subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE).Meanwhile, Priya Mishra’s availability for the One-Day and Multi-Day matches will be subject to fitness. Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Dhara Gujjar and Joshita VJ have been named in the squad for One-Day and Multi-Day matches.T20 squad: Radha Yadav (C), Minnu Mani (VC), Shafali Verma, D. Vrinda, Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry (WK), Raghvi Bist, Shreyanka Patil*, Prema Rawat, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Tanuja Kanwer, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu.One-Day and Multi-Day squad: Radha Yadav (C), Minnu Mani (VC), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (WK), Priya Mishra*, Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu.–IANSab/bsk/

Jakarta, July 10 (IANS) The death toll from a passenger ship sinking in Indonesia’s Bali…

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) Underscoring the unmatched reach of the postal network, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday that there is no other distribution channel in the world as wide and deeply connected as India Post with its 1.64 lakh touchpoints — stretching from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Bharuch to Dharmanagar.Addressing the ‘Gramin Dak Sevak Sammelan’ in Bengaluru, the minister rekindled a powerful emotional connect with the ‘Dak Parivaar’ and set a bold roadmap for the future of India Post. Scindia also spoke about the enduring relationship he has shared with the Dak Parivaar, stressing that this is more than a department, it is a family.He emphasised how true transformation begins when every worker feels personally invested in the mission. While addressing the Gramin Dak Sevaks, he spoke of how they are the pillars of trust in every village and are deeply and emotionally connected to every household in the rural belt.The minister further highlighted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s vision to redesign post offices for a more citizen-centric experience, and reaffirmed the commitment to make post offices the front door of governance in rural India — accessible, modern, and service-rich.The minister issued a passionate call to action urging every member of the postal family to be an agent of transformation. The minister underlined the pivotal role of post offices in shaping rural development and envisioned them as essential service centres that meet the everyday needs of the common man.Earlier this month, Scindia said the government is working to transform India Post into a logistics powerhouse by modernising its operations, streamlining costs, and strengthening its presence in the fast-evolving e-commerce ecosystem. Speaking to IANS about the ongoing reforms within the Department of Posts (DoP), Scindia revealed that India Post has undergone significant business process reengineering over the past 12 months.“The department has restructured itself into six verticals and four horizontals to focus on profitability, cost-efficiency, and technological advancement,” the minister noted.–IANSna/

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday approved the release of Rs 1,066.80 crore to flood and landslide-hit six states – Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Kerala and Uttarakhand.

Among the six flood affected states, Assam received Rs 375.60 crore, Rs 29.20 crore was given to Manipur, Rs 30.40 crore to Meghalaya, Rs 22.80 crore to Mizoram, Rs 153.20 crore to Kerala, and Rs 455.60 crore to Uttarakhand, as Central share from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), said a Ministry statement.These states have been affected due to extremely heavy rainfall, floods and landslides during the south-west monsoon, it said.In a message on X, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “More than Rs 8,000 crore from SDRF/NDRF funds has been provided to 19 states this year. Apart from financial aid, providing all logistic assistance, including deployment of requisite NDRF, Army, and Air Force, has been our priority.”Earlier, Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is fully committed to providing all possible assistance to flood, landslide and cloudburst-affected states.This year, the Centre has already released Rs 6,166.00 crore from SDRF to 14 states and Rs 1,988.91 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to 12 states.In addition, Rs 726.20 crore released from the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) to five states and Rs 17.55 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) have also been released to two states, said the statement.The Central government has also provided all logistics assistance, including deployment of requisite NDRF teams, Army teams and Air Force support to all the flood, landslide, and cloudburst-affected states.During the ongoing monsoon, 104 teams of NDRF are deployed in 21 States/UT for rescue and relief operations.The Indian Army has launched extensive Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations under ‘Operation Jal Rahat 2’, with coordinated deployment across Nagaland, Assam, and Manipur.On Thursday, the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur formally requisitioned assistance from the Army to provide immediate flood relief in Singrijan Colony, one of the worst-hit areas.In Upper Assam, the Dhansiri River in Golaghat district has breached danger levels. Although water levels are now receding, the Army continues to monitor the situation closely and is ready to intervene should the need arise.In Manipur, the Nambol River flowing through Imphal West and Bishnupur districts has also surpassed danger levels. While floodwaters are beginning to recede, the Army remains actively engaged in relief operations in coordination with civil authorities, said the statement.–IANSrch/svn

London, July 10 (IANS) Arsenal have signed midfielder Christian Norgaard from Brentford on Thursday.
The 31-year-old midfielder made 196 appearances for Brentford in all competitions, including 122 in the Premier League, scoring 13 goals and assisting 18 times.Christian started his career with Lyngby in his homeland, progressing through their youth academy and making his first-team debut aged 17. He then had a brief spell in Germany with Hamburg as an 18-year-old, before returning to Denmark in August 2013 to join Superliga club Brondby.During his time there, Christian became an influential player, showcasing his natural leadership. He was voted as Player of the Year in 2017 and also helped the team lift the Danish Cup in 2017/18. During five years with Brondby, he made 147 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals with nine assists.Christian moved to Italy in July 2018, signing for Serie A side Fiorentina, where he spent a season before joining Brentford in May 2019.During his six seasons with the Bees, Christian consistently showcased his strength and qualities from midfield, playing an integral role through one of the most successful periods in Brentford’s history, including promotion to the Premier League after a 74-year absence from the top flight. Christian became captain ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and finished last season with his highest goalscoring tally in a single season, with six goals from defensive midfield.Having represented Denmark at youth level, Christian made his senior debut in a 0-0 draw against England in September 2020 and has now gone on to make 35 appearances for his country.“We’re delighted to welcome Christian to Arsenal. He is an international player with a wealth of experience of the Premier League. He has proven leadership skills and a strong character which will be invaluable to our squad,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said.”He is a strong midfielder with excellent tactical awareness and versatility. He also has physical presence and intelligence which will give us added depth and balance. Christian will bring a lot to the group both on and off the pitch, and we’re excited to start working with him in this next chapter of his career. We welcome Christian and his family to Arsenal.”Sporting Director, Andrea Berta, said, “We’re very pleased to welcome Christian Norgaard to the club. He has been a consistent high performer in the Premier League and brings many qualities to our club. “He is a leader, and a player with high tactical intelligence and versatility who will have a very positive impact to the squad. We welcome Christian to Arsenal.”Christian will wear the number 16 shirt and will immediately join up with his new teammates for pre-season.–IANSab/

Bengaluru, July 10 (IANS) To strengthen India’s agriculture sector and make AI models more sensitive to the country’s linguistic and cultural diversity, Google on Thursday launched a new agricultural monitoring and event detection (AMED) application programming interface (API).The company also announced a collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur to build localised datasets on India’s rich cultural tapestry. It will help in equipping global Large Language Models with better linguistic and cultural context at the local level.The new mechanism will provide information on crops and field activity across India that will eventually empower the ecosystem to build targeted solutions that support agricultural productivity and resilience, the global tech giant said in a statement.The API details the type of crop on individual fields across India, as well as each field’s size and corresponding sowing and harvesting dates. It will also provide historical information of last three years about the agricultural activity in each field.“With AI research — and especially with AMED building on the foundation of ALU — we’re working on accelerating crucial shifts, transforming broad insights to granular, real-time data, so that increasingly impactful solutions not only translate into benefit for India’s farmers, but also bolster the nation against rising climate risks,” said Alok Talekar, lead, agriculture and sustainability research lead, Google DeepMind.“At Google, along with charting new frontiers in foundational AI, which forms the backbone of many of our launches in the Gemini era, we have continued advancing fundamental research that addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity,” said Dr Manish Gupta, Senior Director for India and APAC at Google DeepMind.By adding more localised data — such as various languages, dialects, and cultural quirks that aren’t currently included in AI training — Google’s Amplify Initiative seeks to fill in knowledge gaps in Large Language models.“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Google on the Amplify Initiative and open a new chapter in global AI development,” stated Dr Mainack Mandal, Assistant Professor, IIT Kharagpur.–IANSaps/na

Chennai, July 10 (IANS) DMK President and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday took a…

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Maharashtra Minister of Medical Education Hasan Mushrif, in a written reply, said in a serious bid to curb ragging, the state government has formed anti-ragging committees at the level of the medical colleges, which will hold regular periodical reviews.

The Directorate of Medical Education issues advisories from time to time to all government medical colleges for taking further measures by the dean-level anti-ragging committees. The question was raised by member Saroj Ahire in the state Assembly on the steps taken by the government to curb ragging.Minister Mushrif said that the National Medical Commission has released the National Medical Commission (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions) Regulations, 2021, in order to take steps to curb ragging across the country. Minister Mushrif said that the Maharashtra University of Health Services had received complaints about 50 raging cases during 2022-24 through the National Anti-Ragging portal. The University has immediately taken a serious note of those complaints.The minister said that the state government does not have the Society Against Violence in Education’s report on the complaints of ragging in connection with the Maharashtra University of Health Services. He said no deaths were reported in ragging complaints received by the Maharashtra University of Health Services. Of the 50 complaints, 41 were general and nine were serious.In another question, Maharashtra Minister of Public Health Prakash Abitkar, in a written reply, said 14 pregnancy cases due to child marriage, of which seven delivered babies between April 2024 and March 2025 in Beed district. These cases were reported by the Centre’s Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Portal. The Public Health Department has communicated to various health organisations to initiate action in connection with child marriage under the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The question was raised by Amol Khatal on the child marriage case in the Beed district.Minister Abitkar said that the gram sevaks in all gram panchayats have been appointed as anti-child marriage officers. The anganwadi sevikas have been appointed to assist the gram sevaks. In urban areas, the child development project officers have been appointed as anti-child marriage officers and anganwadi supervisors as assistant anti-child marriage officers. Further, in every district, a child protection cell has been established.–IANSsj/dan