THE HEADLINES:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron to jointly inaugurate India’s first new Consulate in Marseille in a short while.
- Prime Minister urges the world to invest in India and bet on India’s Yuva Shakti; Discusses India’s digital transformation with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Paris.
- President, Vice President and Prime Minister extend greetings on Sant Ravidas Jayanti today.
- Over one crore 59 lakh devotees take holy dip at Sangam on Magh Purnima.
- In badminton, India enters quarterfinal in Asia Mixed Team Championship in Qingdao, China.
- And in Men’s Cricket, final clash of 3-match ODI series between India and England underway in Ahmedabad.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will jointly inaugurate India’s first new Consulate in Marseille, France and will participate in other key events in a short while. Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Marseille in southern France early this morning. Our correspondent reports, the Indian community in Marseille gave the Prime Minister a warm and enthusiastic welcome upon his arrival.
The Prime Minister said, in a social media post, this visit will witness important programmes to further connect India and France. He said, the Indian consulate will deepen people-to-people linkages.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India is making remarkable strides in AI, leveraging it for the public good. Mr. Modi urged the world to come and invest in India and bet on India’s Yuva Shakti. The Prime Minister made these remarks after meeting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai at the AI Action Summit in Paris.
Mr. Pichai described this meeting as delightful. In a social media post, the Google CEO said they discussed the incredible opportunities AI will bring to India and ways we can work closely together on India’s digital transformation.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has applauded Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra’s efforts to promote fitness. In a social media post, he emphasised the need to combat obesity and maintain a healthy lifestyle. In response to an article by Neeraj Chopra on the importance of Fit India, Mr. Modi said, an insightful and motivating piece by Neeraj Chopra, which reiterates the need to fight obesity and remain healthy.
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The first meeting of the Delhi BJP Election Management Committee is underway in New Delhi. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and the Party’s Delhi election in-charge, Baijayant Panda and Alka Gurjar are chairing the meeting. BJP leaders including MPs Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Bansuri Swaraj, Praveen Khandelwal, Harsh Malhotra, and Vishnu Mittal are also present in the meeting.
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Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that India’s share in global energy consumption is expected to nearly double by 2050, reinforcing its strategic influence in energy trade. He said the country stands at the heart of Global energy markets and with 17 percent of the world’s population, India is the third-largest oil consumer and fourth-largest LNG importer. He said the task of shaping a new energy order will be crucial in determining the fate of the 21st century.
The Minister today participated in a series of meetings during the India Energy Week which is currently underway in New Delhi. During meetings, the stakeholders discussed the requirement of significant investments in infrastructure, including energy storage and smart grids, to ensure resilience and accessibility.
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Actor Deepika Padukone, today urged students to focus on their strengths and work on their weaknesses without the fear of failure. She was speaking during the second part of Pariksha Pe Charcha-2025. During the interaction with students, Ms. Padukone said that students must face challenges with clarity and conviction and shouldn’t panic if there is any mistake.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with students, the actress said it is important that students should express and never suppress their feelings.
Ms Padukone, who is also a mental health advocate, said that mental health issues should not be treated as a stigma and that people facing such issues must always express their feelings.
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And now news from Mahakumbh;
Over one crore 59 lakh devotees have taken holy dip in the Sangam till 12 pm, on the occasion of Magh Purnima Snan in Mahakumbh, Prayagraj today. The Snan holds great relevance as it is considered auspicious to bathe in the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati during Magh Purnima. It also marks the end of the special ritual of performing Kalpavas, with the grand festival hosting more than 10 lakh Kalpavasis this year. So far around 47 crore 55 lakh devotees have taken the holy bath till date.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, recognised as the world’s largest religious gathering, commenced on the 13th of January. It has hosted devotees from around the world.
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Ravidas Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas, is being celebrated across the country today. Sant Ravidas was a 14th century saint and founder of the Bhakti movement in North India. It is celebrated on Magh Purnima.
President, Vice President, Prime Minister greeted people on the occasion. In her message, President Droupadi Murmu said, Guru Ravidas ji was a great saint who gave the message of unity and brotherhood to all through his writings. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar in his message said that the great saint, poet and social reformer Guru Ravidas ji, had envisioned a casteless society. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Saint Guru Ravidas dedicated his life to eradicating discrimination from society.
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In the Asia Mixed Team Badminton Championships 2025, India began their campaign with a commanding 5-0 win over Macau in Qingdao, China, today.
The mixed doubles pair of Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath set the tone with a 21-10, 21-9 win against Iok Chong Leong and Weng Chi Ng in the opening match, followed by Lakshya Sen with a 21-16, 21-12 victory against Pang Fong Pui of china in men’s singles event.
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In Men’s Cricket, match between India and England is underway at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This is the final clash of the 3-match ODI series. Sent to bat first, India were 39 for 1 in 8 overs, when the reports last came in.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron to jointly inaugurate India’s first new Consulate in Marseille in a short while.
- Prime Minister urges the world to invest in India and bet on India’s Yuva Shakti; Discusses India’s digital transformation with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Paris.
- President, Vice President and Prime Minister extend greetings on Sant Ravidas Jayanti today.
- Over one crore 59 lakh devotees take holy dip at Sangam on Magh Purnima.
- In badminton, India enters quarterfinal in Asia Mixed Team Championship in Qingdao, China.
- And in Men’s Cricket, final clash of 3-match ODI series between India and England underway in Ahmedabad.
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