THE HEADLINES:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Sonamarg Tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir today.
- World’s largest spiritual and cultural gathering Maha Kumbh Mela begins in Prayagraj with Amrit Snan on the occasion of Paush Poornima.
- Festival of harvest, Lohri being celebrated in North India today.
- Third round of nuclear talks between Iran and three European countries to take place in Geneva.
- North India shivers as cold wave and dense fog grip the region.
- And, Kho Kho World Cup 2025 to begin today in New Delhi.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and dedicate the prestigious Sonamarg Tunnel to the nation today in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The Sonamarg Tunnel will significantly reduce the travel time to just 20-25 minutes between Gagangeer and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district. The opening of the tunnel will boost up domestic and international tourism in Sonamarg, while providing all weather connectivity between Sonamarg and Gagangeer that leads to approach road towards under construction Zojila tunnel. The tunnel will increase socio economic development throughout the region including Kargil and Leh districts. The Tunnel is a game-changer for the region, offering more than just a connection between Gagangeer and Sonamarg. The tunnel is equipped with cutting-edge technologies that provide real-time updates and seamless connectivity for users. This futuristic infrastructure will enhance the travel experience and also set a new standard for road connectivity in the region. The work on the Tunnel project began in May 2015 and was completed last year.
The strategic six and a half kilometre Sonamarg Tunnel will be a major step towards making the Ladakh region accessible by road throughout the year. This engineering marvel is poised to unlock the full potential of the region’s trade and tourism sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a public rally after the inauguration of the tunnel. Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Dr Jitendra Singh, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Senior Ministers and Officials will be present on the occasion. Hoteliers, Traders and common people have expressed their happiness and joy over completion of the prestigious project. They hope the tunnel project will open up employment opportunities for the people in the region. Prime Minister will also interact with the engineers and other workforce of the project. TARIQ RATHER, AKASHVANI NEWS,SRINAGAR.
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Now News from MahaKumbh:
The world’s largest spiritual and cultural gathering Maha Kumbh began today in Prayagraj with Amrit Snan on the occasion of Paush Poornima. Millions of Devotees, Pilgrims and Visitors are taking holy dip at various ghats of Triveni Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. The grand event will continue till Mahashivaratri on the 26th February. A rare celestial alignment that occurs only once in 144 years adds to the speciality of Maha Kumbh this year. Yesterday, nearly 50 lakh devotees took a dip at the Triveni Sangam. Besides the ritual bath, millions of devotees will also observe the ancient tradition of Kalpvas at the Sangam. According to ancient beliefs, devotees will observe Kalpvas for one month till Magh Poornima, strictly adhering to the prescribed rituals. Special arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth and spiritual experience for devotees during this sacred observance. The government has left no stone unturned to ensure the event is safe, secure, and memorable. A Seven layer security is in place for Maha Kumbh.
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The festival of harvest, Lohri will be celebrated today in North India especially in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Chandigarh. Lohri marks the end of the long nights of winter and welcomes the longer days of summer, as the Sun begins its journey to the Northern Hemisphere. Lohri is celebrated very enthusiastically and zestfully, accompanied by many customs and traditions.
The festival is mostly associated with crop harvesting and happiness. Our correspondent reports that popcorns, peanuts, Rewari and Gajak are distributed to all neighbours, friends and relatives on the occasion.
Lohri is a vibrant event complete with the Lohri fire, praying, dancing, feasting and singing the legendary Dulla Bhatti song. The bonfires will be burnt during evening and families with neighbours will enjoy the festival together while having Peanuts, Rewaris etc. Punjab also celebrates “Dhiyan Di Lohri” by organsing special government programmes for the girl child. Its a symbolic event to improve the sex ratio in the state and supporting the girl children to live their lives with dignity and pride. Rajesh Bali, Akashvani News, Jalandhar.
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In Telangana, three-day Makar Sankranti festivities commenced with people celebrating Bhogi today with traditional fervour and gaiety.
The First day of Sankranti festivities began with Bhogi Mantalu, that is, a bonfire lit early this morning. People along with children burnt their old and unused belongings in the fire as a symbol to get rid of the bad and evil. People are inviting the Sankranthi Lakshmi, a sign of Prosperity, by decorating their houses traditionally with colourful Rangoli, Mango leaves and marigold flowers. Colourful kites will adorn skies over Hyderabad as the Telangana International Kite Festival is commencing later today at the Parade Grounds in Secunderabad. The event is witnessing participation of kite flyers from over 20 countries. Lakshmi, Akashvani News, Hyderabad.
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President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar have extended their greetings on the occasion of Lohri. They also extended their greetings for the upcoming Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and Magh Bihu festivals, which will be celebrated tomorrow.
The Vice President underlined that these festivals represent country’s age-old tradition of honouring the harvest season.
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The third round of talks between Iran and three European countries is set to resume in Geneva, Switzerland today. The two-day meeting will focus on the nuclear issue. Representatives from the EU will also attend the discussions, involving Iran, Germany, France, and Britain. Earlier, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that Iran is ready for talks with Western countries on its nuclear program, as long as Tehran’s highest interests are considered.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cold day conditions in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and west Rajasthan today. Northern, eastern, and northeastern states of the country can experience dense fog in the morning and night hours during the next 2 days. The weather office further predicted thunderstorms and lightning over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, and Mahe till tomorrow. IMD said Northwest, Central, and West India are likely to witness a gradual fall in the minimum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius during the next 2 days but can witness a gradual rise by 2-4 degrees Celsius during the subsequent 3 days.
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Moving on to updates from the world of sports, the inaugural edition of Kho Kho World Cup will begin at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi today.
“This edition of Kho Kho World Cup will feature 20 men’s and 19 women’s teams. The Kho Kho Federation of India has named a 15-member squad each for the men’s and women’s competitions. Today, Indian men’s team led by Pratik Waikar will start their campaign with the opening match against Nepal at 8:30 PM, while Priyanka Ingle led women side will be in action from tomorrow.
Moving towards Women’s Cricket, India has clinched the three match ODI series with 2-nil lead after they defeated Ireland by 116 runs in the second match played yesterday in Rajkot. Jemimah Rodrigues got the Player of the Match award for her fabulous century. On the other hand in Domestic Cricket, Haryana, Karnataka, Vidarbha and Maharashtra have made it to the semi-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. Moreover, Star Indian batter Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the new captain of Punjab Kings for the upcoming season of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Next we have from the World Table Tennis Contender 2025, where India’s Ayhika Mukherjee and Diya Chitale won their respective group matches in women’s singles yesterday. In Men’s Singles, Manush Shah also registered victory. Today in Men’s Singles, Mudit Dani will be up against Deepash Bhagwani of Indonesia and Payas Jain will play against Chinese paddler Xu Yingbi in Muscat, Oman.
Moving towards prestigious Australian Open 2025 Tennis, India’s Sumit Nagal crashed out after losing in straight sets to Czechia’s Tomas Machac in first round of the men’s singles event at Melbourne Park yesterday. India’s next hope is from the doubles campaign. CHIRAG JHA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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The inaugural Women’s Hockey India League got underway with a glitzy ceremony where artists showcased the culture of Jharkhand in Ranchi yesterday.
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In our bilingual live phone-in programme “Public Speak” at 09.30 pm tonight, we will bring an insightful discussion on “TB-Mukt Bharat ” with Prof. Urvashi B. Singh, DDG (TB), Ministry of health and family welfare. During the program, listeners will have the opportunity to ask questions to our expert relating to TB.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE,
- The Indian Express reports “An estimated 45 crore people are expected to visit the MahaKumbh over next 45 days.” “Spirituality meets AI as Mahakumbh begins today” with millions thronging Prayagraj for the mela, writes The Tribune. While “QR codes provide spiritual roadmap” says The Times of India. Under the headline “Kumbh: A Big Brand affair!”, The Economic Times writes about how Companies are alloting seventy percent of spends to 6 snans and stepping up social media marketing to capitalise on the Mahakumbh.
- Prime Minister Modi hails Swami Vivekanand, reports The Asian Age, asking ‘yuva shakti’ to go for big goals.
- “Declining fertility levels push up Kerala’s maternal mortality ratio” reports The Hindu.
- And Finally, Three of the world’s ten slowest cities in terms of driving traffic speeds are in India. The Pioneer notes “Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Pune slowest in traffic globally.”
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Sonamarg Tunnel project in Jammu and Kashmir today.
- World’s largest spiritual and cultural gathering Maha Kumbh Mela begins in Prayagraj with Amrit Snan on the occasion of Paush Poornima.
- Festival of harvest, Lohri being celebrated in North India today.
- Third round of nuclear talks between Iran and three European countries to take place in Geneva.
- North India shivers as cold wave and dense fog grip the region.
- And, Kho Kho World Cup 2025 to begin today in New Delhi.
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