Badrinath Dham reopens after 6-month wait with prayers, flowers, and grand celebrations
Show more
Show less
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Indian Army's Super-50 initiative helps 44 Manipur students clear NEET, JEE
IMPHAL: Indian Army felicitated 44 Manipur students who cleared JEE and NEET examinations this year after being trained at the Red Shield Centre for Excellence and Wellness, commonly known as 'Manipur Super-50', officials said on Wednesday. Defence spokesman Lt Col Amit Shukla said that six out of these 44 students cleared both the NEET and JEE exams. Philem Jenin Singh is one of the Manipur state NEET toppers with a 97.06 percentile. Lt Col Shukla said that Manipur Super-50 is an initiative supported by the Indian Army in collaboration with National Integrity and Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO), aimed at providing free, high-quality coaching, mentorship and resources to talented students from underprivileged backgrounds in the state. This dedicated support has empowered many students to secure admissions in premier medical and engineering institutes across the country, transforming their aspirations into reality, he said. In NEET-2025, 37 students from the Super-50 successfully cleared the exam, marking a significant achievement for the programme. Despite numerous challenges, these students have displayed extraordinary resilience, dedication and focus, the spokesman said. According to Lt Col Shukla, many have been studying under difficult conditions, often amidst disruptions to normal life. Their success stands as a testament to their unyielding determination to pursue education, build a brighter future and be a responsible citizen. During the ceremony held in the Bishnupur district on Tuesday, Army and civil administration officials congratulated the successful students and interacted warmly with their parents, acknowledging the sacrifices and support provided by families. The hard work of the students and determination have brought pride to their families and communities, and their success reflects the positive impact of the Super 50 initiative, the official said. He said that their outstanding performance is a testament to their perseverance, as well as the focused mentorship and support provided under the Super-50 initiative. In JEE-2025, 13 students from the Super-50 qualified for the exam, showcasing the programme's academic excellence and commitment to nurturing future engineers. Prizes were presented to the achievers as a token of appreciation and encouragement. Parents expressed deep gratitude to the Indian Army for nurturing and guiding their children. The Indian Army reiterated its steadfast commitment to promoting education and youth empowerment in Manipur, emphasising that initiatives like the Red Shield Centre for Excellence and Wellness 'Manipur Super-50' not only transform individual lives but also contribute significantly to peace and progress in society, the defence PRO said. This event stood as a powerful symbol of hope, collaboration, and the limitless potential of Manipur's youth, he added. Bishnupur district Deputy Commissioner Pooja Elangbam, Superintendent of Police Ravi Kumar Ksh, and NIEDO Director Rohit Shrivastava were present in the felicitation ceremony. Is your child ready for the careers of tomorrow? Enroll now and take advantage of our early bird offer! Spaces are limited.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Sharma-Golden Arrow Division celebrates 63rd Raising Day with solemn tributes, glorious remembrance of the battle of Barki and to honour the brave veterans
Sharma-Golden Arrow Division celebrates 63rd Raising Day with solemn tributes, glorious remembrance of the battle of Barki and to honour the brave veterans FEROZEPUR: As the Indian Army proudly celebrates the Diamond Jubilee Year of its historic victory over Pakistan in the 1965 War, the Golden Arrow Division - which played a stellar role in that triumph - commemorated its 63rd Raising Day with solemn pride and deep reverence at the Barki Memorial, Ferozepur Cantonment. The commemorative event commenced with a poignant Wreath Laying Ceremony, led by Maj Gen RS Manral, SM, VSM, General Officer Commanding, Golden Arrow Division, along with other senior officers and troops. Amid the soulful notes of 'The Last Post,' homage was paid to the Brave hearts who laid down their lives in service of the motherland. The Barki Memorial stands as a stirring reminder of the Battle of Barki, fought in September 1965, where soldiers of the Golden Arrow Division displayed unparalleled valour and tactical brilliance. In a daring assault across the Ichhogil Canal, Indian troops captured the strategic town of Barki, just 6 km from Lahore, breaking through formidable enemy defences. The operation remains one of the finest examples of battlefield courage and is etched indelibly in the annals of military history. In continuation of the day's proceedings, a felicitation ceremony honoured distinguished veterans of the Golden Arrow Division, recognising their invaluable contributions to the unit and the Nation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo In a heartfelt gesture on behalf of the Indian Army, Sepoy Gurwinder Singh, a disabled soldier from Ferozepur, was presented with a modified scooter, reflecting the Army's unwavering commitment to its own. Addressing the gathering, the General Officer Commanding paid rich tributes to the courage, grit and sacrifice of the Veterans, stating that their legacy lights the path for future generation of soldiers. The 63rd Raising Day celebration reinforced the Golden Arrow Division's glorious legacy, operational excellence, and continued role in defending India's Western frontiers with honour, resolve, and unflinching dedication. The event concluded with a reaffirmed pledge to uphold the highest traditions of the Indian Army and to serve the Nation with valour and distinction.
The Print
17 hours ago
- The Print
Journey of excavator Amarnath Ramakrishna who led Keezhadi dig & has seen 12 transfers in 21 yrs
K. Amarnath Ramakrishna submitted the report on the first two phases of the Keezhadi excavation in 2023. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) rejected his report and asked him to revise the dates of his findings, but he stood by his conclusions and wrote to the ASI that no corrections were necessary. Chennai: When archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna began excavating a coconut farm in Keezhadi—a quiet Tamil Nadu village—in 2014, little did he realise that his discovery of an urban civilisation dating back to at least the 8th century BCE wouldn't just challenge history but also his career with five transfers in eight years. Indologist R. Balakrishnan, a retired IAS and chairman of the International Institute of Tamil Studies, said the findings of the Keezhadi excavations were revolutionary because they complemented Sangam literature. 'Ramakrishna's findings bolstered the narrative of an independent, sophisticated Tamil civilisation, distinct from the Vedic-centric history. There were no religious symbols found at the excavation site, proving what was told in Sangam literature,' Balakrishnan told ThePrint. Amarnath Ramakrishna's transfer in 2023 wasn't his first or last. His groundbreaking work has often been accompanied by controversy, with his career at the ASI marked by 12 transfers in 21 years. He began in 2004 as an assistant archaeologist at Kondapur Museum in Andhra Pradesh. The roots of the latest controversy go back to 2013-14, when Ramakrishna began surveying 293 potential sites in and around Madurai for excavation. Among them, Keezhadi, a 100-acre coconut grove in Palichanthai Thidal in Sivagangai district, stood out—and excavations began there in 2014. In the first two phases between 2014-15 and 2015-16, the team unearthed over 7,500 artefacts, including brick structures, drainage systems, wells, pottery, beads and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions. But in 2017, as Keezhadi's significance was becoming undeniable, Ramakrishna was abruptly transferred to the Guwahati Circle in Assam while he was waiting for funds to begin the third phase of excavations at Keezhadi. Soon after Ramakrishna's transfer in 2017, the ASI appointed P.S. Sriraman as Superintending Archaeologist for the third phase of the excavation. In October 2017, on completing the third phase, Sriraman said that Keezhadi excavations had not yielded any significant discoveries—sparking controversy as his opinion sharply contradicted Ramakrishna's earlier findings. Again in 2019, Amarnath Ramakrishna was transferred to Goa as superintending archaeologist. He was back in Tamil Nadu as superintending archaeologist of the Chennai circle in 2021, when he wrote the Keezhadi report. In the 982-page report, submitted by Ramakrishna in January 2023, he classified Keezhadi into three periods: Pre-Early Historic (8th century BCE to 5th century BCE), Mature Early Historic (5th century BCE to 1st century BCE), and Post-Early Historic (1st century BCE to 3rd century CE). He submitted the report in January 2023 and was transferred to Delhi as Director (Archaeology) after that. One and a half years later, in September 2024, Amarnath Ramakrishna was moved again, this time as Director (Antiquity) of the National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities (NMMA) at the ASI headquarters in Delhi. Within three months, Ramakrishna was shifted again to the role of director of excavation and exploration at the ASI headquarters. Another three months later, he was brought back to his previous post at the ASI headquarters in Delhi. On 17 June, Amarnath Ramakrishna was transferred yet again to the role of director of NMMA at Noida, marking his third transfer in nine months and twelfth transfer overall. This was described as a 'punishment posting' for allegedly refusing to change the dates in his Keezhadi report. 'The post he was transferred to was almost defunct for years. If this is not a punishment post, what else is?' said one of Ramakrishna's colleagues. But an ASI spokesperson told ThePrint that all his moves were routine administrative transfers and had nothing to do with Keezhadi. Archaeologists who worked with Amarnath Ramakrishna at Keezhadi felt that more details might have been unearthed had he been allowed to lead the third phase of excavations. 'In the first two phases, excavation was done at the habitation site. But to substantiate and to get more clarity on whatever was found in the habitation site, excavations need to be done in a burial site close to it. Ramakrishna had sought permission to excavate a burial site close to it, and that's when the transfer order came,' a source at the ASI told ThePrint. Also Read: Sun TV Network, Maran brothers & an old feud. How Dayanidhi-Kalanithi clash was waiting to spill over Eye for detail Archaeologists, who worked with Amarnath Ramakrishna at Keezhadi, recalled that he was a man with an eye for detail who looked for concrete scientific evidence before arriving at a conclusion. 'When we began the Keezhadi excavation, we seriously did not have any expectations, except that it was one of the largest human habitation sites that we were digging in Tamil Nadu. He was very keen on noting down everything that he saw at the site and everything that we excavated from day one,' said archaeologist Vasanth, who worked with Amarnath Ramakrishna during the Keezhadi excavation. Vasanth also told ThePrint that Ramakrishna was an exceptional officer who did not give preferences to anyone based on seniority. 'He listens to everybody's ideas irrespective of their age and experience.' A Madras University archaeology student, now working with the archaeology department, said he was lucky to do an internship at Keezhadi with Amarnath Ramakrishna. 'Because most of my seniors and even my colleagues who did internships were not even taken anywhere close to the excavation trenches. Despite being at the excavation site, they largely got only theoretical experience,' said the achaeologist, who did his internship with Ramakrishna between 2015 and 2017. 'But Ramakrishna sir took us into the trenches and explained how each quadrant is dug and how they pick the samples and what each one of them means,' he added. Son of a Tamil Scholar, in search of ancient traces Amarnath Ramakrishna, who belongs to Tamil Nadu's Palani in Dindigul district, is the son of an academic couple, R. Krishnamoorthy and G.S. Dinamani. Krishnamoorthy retired as professor of zoology at Presidency College in Chennai and the late Dinamani worked as a professor of Tamil at Arulmigu Palaniandavar Women's College. 'Beginning from elementary education to an in Ancient History and Archaeology, he was a product of Tamil Nadu's education system,' recalls a college mate and archaeologist with the state government. Amarnath Ramakrishna's friends and classmates credited their professor, K.V. Raman, for inspiring him to take archaeology seriously. 'He has always said that K.V. Raman sir was his inspiration. It was KV sir who asked Ramakrishna to pursue a two-year PG Diploma in Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology run by the Archaeological Survey of India,' the collegemate told ThePrint. He also questioned how the methods and procedures taught at ASI's institute could be wrong. 'He did not learn archaeology anywhere else. How can a person who studied at the ASI's institute give a report without substantial evidence stipulated by the ASI?' (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: 5 Tamil Nadu cops arrested for custodial death of temple guard accused of theft. Brother alleges torture
