#UDHAMPUR:  Vice Chairperson DDC Udhampur, Juhi Manhas Pathania today threw open ‘Cultural Fest’ at traditional Sudh Mahadev Mela wherein officers of Tehsil and Police administration, besides prominent people and general public were  present.

She underscored the importance of preserving our traditions, rich culture and festivals in the teeth of the so-called trend of modernity.

She also received the Holy mace at the temple. On the eve of Mela, the main attraction is the Holy Yatra and receipt of Holy Mace over here. The Mela is organised by the local Management Committee with the active support of District administration.

This Mela is organised at Sudh Mahadev every year witnessing participation of people from different parts of Udhampur and adjoining areas.

Sudhmahadev Mela keeps alive the great cultural and religious heritage of this region. It is the occasion of celebration and interaction between different faiths and beliefs of which the Shiv Bhakti is supreme. It is said that whosoever comes with devotion in the Mela will get the blessing of Lord Shiva.

During the mela, folk lore, playing of flutes and beating of drums followed by  dance by the locals dressed in best Dogra attire reflect the inherited culture of the region.

The Dogri classical songs called ‘Bhakh’ are also sung by the groups of singers during night.

Speaking on the occasion, Juhi extended her warm greetings to the people on the auspicious day. She stressed on the importance of these traditional festivals and melas to maintain harmony amongst all the sections of the society as such events bring people closer.

She said that these festivals/ Melas are an inseparable part of our culture and help a lot in showcasing the rich cultural heritage that has been bequeathed to us by our wise forefathers. She further said that the festivals would offer the visitors and tourists an exciting experience of knowing about the cultural heritage, folklore, local Art, Culture, craft and traditions. These Melas also help in promoting the rich culture, beliefs and traditions of Dogras at national and international level. It is a feast to the eyes, ears and soul to watch the rich Dogra art and culture live in these melas. All this adds to the colour and vibrancy to the drudgery and monotony of everyday life and thus, brings novelty to our life.

She was accompanied by Pinky Devi DDC Latti Marothi, Rakesh Chander Bodhi ,DDC Ghordi,Subash Chander DDC Narsoo,local PRIs, Manik Gupta, Chairman Municipal Committee Chenani & respectable members of the area.

NEW DELHI: Senior IPS officer Praveen #Sood took over as the new CBI director on Thursday and he will be in the post for two years, officials said.

On his last working day, the outgoing director, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, handed Sood the charge of the agency at its headquarters, they said.

Sood is a 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Karnataka cadre and was the state’s director general of police. He is the senior-most IPS officer in the country after Jaiswal.

Sood’s name was cleared in a meeting of a high-powered committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

Chowdhury, a Congress leader, had reportedly given a dissent note on the selection of Sood as the next CBI director In an order, the department of personnel and training had said.

#SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited Jhelum Rajbagh Riverfront today and spent a few memorable moments with the people.

At the Riverfront, the Lt Governor enquired about the works and directed the CEO, Srinagar Smart City to establish a visiting room and other facilities like Library and reading room for the students.

“The Jhelum Riverfront captures the grandeur of the city, the river, joy & enthusiasm of the people, and the walk along the river is rejuvenating and an experience not to be missed,” the Lt Governor said.

The Lt Governor praised the vibrant ambience and commendable work done by the Srinagar Smart City Limited.

“In the coming days, the Jhelum Riverfront will attract more visitors and provide a high quality of life for citizens. Other development works are also tapping the vast potential and vitality of Srinagar city,” he observed.

The Lt Governor also told the officials that the collective effort should be to make the city come alive and improve infrastructure for people.

“Our prime objective is to restore the historical glory of the city, create infrastructure that improves quality of living for all the citizens and to provide better and improved urban services,” the Lt Governor said.

Sh Athar Amir Khan, Commissioner SMC and CEO Srinagar Smart City briefed the Lt Governor on the works for the development of the Jhelum Riverfront.

Pertinently, Jhelum Rajbagh Riverfront stretch, under Srinagar Smart City, has been transformed into a world-class public space with facilities like walkways, cycling, green space, free wifi, universal access and numerous activities. Hashtag art along with other artifacts have also been installed on the Riverfront.

Shri Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and other senior officers accompanied the Lt Governor.

#JAMMU: Nearly sixteen candidates from Jammu and Kashmir have cracked the prestigious Union Public Service Commission (#UPSC) examination, the results of which were announced on Tuesday.

The candidates who cracked the exams include Waseem Ahmad Bhat (rank 07) Parsenjeet Kaur (rank 11), Nittin Singh (rank 32), Naveed Ahsan Bhat (rank 84), Ambika Raina (rank 164), Navneet Singh (rank 191), Manan Bhat (rank 231), Arjun Gupta (rank 228), Manil Bejotra (rank 314), Dwarika Gandhi (rank 505), Irfan Choudhary (rank 476), Anjeet Singh (rank 565), Abhinandan Singh (rank 749), Nimranshu Hans (rank 811), Iram Choudhary (rank 852) and Aadesh Basnotra (rank 888).

BUSINESS NEWS: Elon Musk on Thursday said Twitter Blue Verified subscribers will now be able to upload up to two-hour videos of up to 8 GB size on the social media platform.

“Twitter Blue Verified subscribers can now upload 2 hour videos (8GB)!” tweeted Musk on Thursday.

#MUMBAI: Sebi on Thursday sent a notice to fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi asking him to pay Rs 5.35 crore in a case pertaining to fraudulent trading in the shares of Gitanjali Gems Ltd and warned of arrest and attachment of assets as well as bank accounts if he fails to make the payment within 15 days.

#JAMMU: Padma Shri Padma Sachdev Government College  for Women hosted a programme and interactive activity titled “Transgender: Representations and Realities.” The event was organised by the Electoral Literacy Club, Rainbow Club, and Department of Social Work in collaboration with IQAC to raise awareness about the issues faced by transgender individuals and to promote understanding and acceptance of the transgender community.

The event began with lamp lighting. A formal welcome address was given by Dr Pooja Charak, HOD Political Science and Convenor of Electoral Literacy Club. Prof Minu Mahajan, Principal of the College spoke about the challenges the transgenders face in accessing healthcare, education, and employment. She also highlighted the importance of representation in the media and the need to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about transgender individuals.

Resource Persons of session were Jaspreet Singh, Research Scholar, Central University of Jammu and Ms Jyoti Sharma, Advocate Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, Jammu.The event also featured an interactive session, where resource persons had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about transgender issues with staff members and students.

Prof Yash Paul,Convenor IQAC, Dr Rupinder kour HOD, Department of Education, Dr Bhagwati and Dr Poonam were also present during the event. Prof Paramjeet Singh, Dr Harmeet Singh, Dr Varun Sharma, Dr Sunita, Dr Vandana Sharma, Dr Ujjwal Sharma, Dr Syed Shehna, Dr Suraj Mohani Jamwal and Dr Ashok Kumar organised the event.

Prof Eisha Gohil, HOD of Department of Psychology and Convenor of Rainbow Club, presented a formal vote of thanks.

Meliha Mushtaq and Shaheen Kotwal of Semester Vth and IVth respectively moderated the event.

#POONCH: The vaccination of Haj Pilgrims has started in Poonch district under the supervision of District Development Commissioner Poonch, Yasin Mohammad Chowdary.

265 Haj pilgrims have been vaccinated so far, including 167 males and 98 females. The vaccination drive includes OPV, Inactivated Influenza Vaccine, Meningococcal Vaccine and Covid-19 vaccine. All Haj Pilgrims underwent a health check-up and their Covid-19 vaccination certificates for all doses, including the precautionary dose, were checked as per SOP.

The vaccination process is being supervised at the district level by Chief Medical Officer, Anis Altaf Nabi; Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Parvaiz Ahmed Khan and District Immunisation Officer, Zoohra. At the block level, the vaccination process is being supervised by Block Medical Officers.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Poonch, Parvaiz Ahmed Khan informed that the vaccination drive includes 128 Haj Pilgrims in Block Mendhar, 52 in Block Surankote, 22 in Mandi and 63 in Urban Haveli Poonch. Out of the total number of Haj Pilgrims, 39 are above the age of 65 years.

The district administration urges all eligible people to get vaccinated and follow Covid-19 protocols to stay safe from the pandemic.