Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Tawi Trekkers J&K organised the second competition in its series of mass sport climbing events for children at Tenzing Norgay Sport Climbing Wall in the campus of Sprawling Buds ICSE School. Around 390 boys and girls, including participants as young as 10 years, from Shiksha Niketan Senior Secondary School took part in the competition aimed at identifying talent for the upcoming Asian Kids Sport Climbing Competition.
In Kids Girls, Palak Janjua secured first place, followed by Avni Verma and Mankirat Kour. In Kids Boys, Saksham Singh stood first, while Gulfan and Anmol secured second and third positions respectively. In Junior Girls, Harneet Kour, Dipanshi and Sonali Sahu finished in the top three positions, while Tanish Sharma, Taranjeet Singh and Raghav Saini excelled in Junior Boys. The event was supervised by Sumit Khajuria, Shawetica Khajuria, Sonam Sidharth, Rahul Sharma and Arti Sharma.
Tawi Trekkers holds sport climbing competition
Dogra Educational Trust bags Innovation Award at ICC-WTC 2026
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Dogra Educational Trust has been conferred with the prestigious special appreciation award under the “Innovation Catalyst” category at the ICC World Technology Convention 2026 held at the Jio World Convention Centre. The award was received on behalf of the Trust by Dr Samar Dev Singh Charak in recognition of the institution’s remarkable contribution towards innovation and excellence in the field of education.
Organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce under the theme “Technology for Make in India,” the convention brought together technology leaders, innovators, policymakers, startups, industry experts, and academic institutions from across India and abroad. The “Innovation Catalyst” category recognizes institutions and organizations that have developed innovative systems, services and practices contributing towards organizational growth, competitiveness and transformative impact.
Dogra Educational Trust received the honour for its pioneering initiatives in higher education, research promotion, digital governance, academic innovation, and industry-oriented learning. Built on the strong foundation laid by Founder Gulchain Singh Charak and guided by Chairperson Surekha Charak, the Trust has emerged as a centre of academic excellence and institutional innovation.
Under the leadership of Dr Samar Dev Singh Charak, the Trust has strengthened technology-enabled governance systems, NAAC-compliant academic practices, research culture, patents, faculty development programmes and collaborations with JKEDI, DLSA and reputed law firms, while expanding quality higher education opportunities for students from semi-urban and border districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
DC Doda inspects ongoing works at Mini Sports Stadium Beerbagh
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
DODA, May 9: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Doda Krishan Lal today inspected the ongoing development works here at Mini Sports Stadium – Beerbagh (Beoli).
Officials from PWD (R&B) Department and Sports Department, local youth and sports enthusiasts were present during the visit of the DC. The Deputy Commissioner took a detailed review of the progress of ongoing works and the facilities being developed at the mini stadium for promoting sports activities in the area.
Interacting with the officials on site, he inquired about the issues causing delay in completion of the project and sought a clear timeline for its completion.
Expressing concern over the slow pace of work, the DC directed the officials of the PWD (R&B) Department and the executing contractor to expedite the pace and ensure that all pending works are completed within the stipulated timeframe.
He emphasized that the timely completion of the Mini Sports Stadium is essential for providing better sports infrastructure and opportunities to the youth of the area.
The local youth and sports enthusiasts appreciated the visit of the Deputy Commissioner and expressed hope that the stadium would soon be completed for the benefit of aspiring sportspersons of the area.
Delayed Flood Protection
There is something deeply troubling about a High Court having to repeatedly knock on the Government’s door to remind it of its most fundamental duty – protecting citizens from preventable harm. The PIL concerning the villages of Barjala and Khandwal, filed way back in 2018, is now into its eighth year before the courts. That a Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh must still be urging authorities to expedite the preparation of a Detailed Project Report, with monsoon clouds already gathering on the horizon, speaks volumes about the state’s paralysing indifference to the lives it is sworn to protect. The Tawi River is no stranger to fury. Year after year, its swollen waters have swallowed farmland, threatened homesteads, and pushed riverside communities to the brink of despair. The damage is documented; the danger is acknowledged; even the Chief Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department has conceded the imminent threat. And yet, the remedy remains stubbornly imprisoned in official files, awaiting appraisal, scrutiny, presentations, and counter-presentations. The proposed flood mitigation project – a Detailed Project Report now placed before the Central Water Commission – carries an estimated cost of a modest Rs 15 crore. Even if approved today, the process alone is expected to consume nine months, provided the J&K Government responds promptly to every query raised. After that comes implementation. In the meantime, the monsoon waits for no bureaucratic convenience.
This part of governance is unacceptable under the present circumstances; it is negligence dressed up as paperwork. A Government that is under a constitutional and moral oath to safeguard its people cannot indefinitely shelter behind the slow machinery of multi-tier approvals whilst communities live season to season in dread of the next deluge. Intermediate measures – reinforcing embankments, dredging the riverbed, deploying temporary flood barriers, and strengthening early warning systems – demand neither parliamentary legislation nor nine-month appraisals. They demand only political will.
The HC’s intervention must not be treated merely as a judicial inconvenience to be managed with fresh affidavits and fortnightly adjournments. It is a moral indictment. The villagers of Barjala and Khandwal are not asking for the impossible; they are asking to be safe in their own homes. That is a right no citizen should have to litigate. This cycle of uncertainty must end. Lives are infinitely too precious to be sacrificed, year after year, upon the known altar of floods and forgotten files.
Pak-China expert Lt Gen Subramani named next CDS
Vice Admiral Swaminathan to be new Navy Chief
NEW DELHI, May 9: Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (retd) has been named India’s next Chief of Defence Staff and his primary mandate will be to implement the ambitious military theaterisation plan and bolster tri-services synergy.
The government has also appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the next Chief of the Naval Staff.
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While Lt Gen Subramani will replace incumbent Gen Anil Chauhan as the country’s senior-most military commander, Vice Admiral Swaminathan will succeed Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi as the Navy Chief, according to an official statement.
Widely known as an expert on Pakistan and China, Lt Gen Subramani retired as Vice Chief of Army Staff on July 31 last year and is currently serving as military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He will take over as the Chief of Defence Staff on May 30.
Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, presently heading the Western Naval Command, will take charge on May 31. Both Gen Chauhan and Admiral Tripathi are retiring from service.
The Government has appointed Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (Retd) as the Chief of Defence Staff and he will also function as the secretary of the department of military affairs, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
As Chief of Defence Staff, Subramani’s primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model by rolling out integrated military commands.
Gen Chauhan, a former Eastern Army Commander, took charge as the country’s senior-most military commander in September 2022, over nine months after the first CDS General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
In his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, Lt Gen Subramani served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles and held a host of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments.
He served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025, and was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Command from March 2023 till June 2024.
The officer is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.
He was commissioned into the eighth battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985.
Lt Gen Subramani is an alumnus of the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Bracknell (UK), and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts degree from King’s College, London, and an MPhil in Defence Studies from Madras University.
He commanded the 16 Garhwal Rifles in counter-insurgency operations in Assam as part of Operation Rhino, the 168 Infantry Brigade in Jammu and Kashmir, and the 17 Mountain Division in the Central Sector during a challenging operational environment.
He also distinguished himself by commanding two corps, including a premier strike corps of the Indian Army on the Western Front.
The officer possesses insightful knowledge and a deep understanding of operational dynamics on both the Western and Northern borders, according to the Defence Ministry.
As the Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Swaminathan’s focus is likely to be on taking forward the ongoing modernisation of the force.
The Flag Officer was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, and is a specialist in communication and electronic warfare.
He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla; the Joint Services Command and Staff College, Shrivenham, United Kingdom; the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja; and the US Naval War College, Newport.
A recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), the Admiral has held several key operational, staff and training appointments in his naval career, including the command of missile vessels INS Vidyut and Vinash, the missile corvette INS Kulish, the guided missile destroyer INS Mysore and the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
Following his promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral, the Flag Officer served as Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command, Controller of Personnel Services, and Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters.
Prior to his current assignment, he served as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.
Vice Admiral Swaminathan’s educational qualifications include a BSc degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; an MSc in Telecommunications from Cochin University of Science and Technology; and an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College, London.
He also holds an MPhil in Strategic Studies and a PhD in International Studies, both from Mumbai University. (PTI)
Iran ceasefire appears to hold
DUBAI, May 9: A tenuous ceasefire appeared to be holding today after the United States struck two Iranian oil tankers, while the country that hosts the US Navy’s regional headquarters said it arrested dozens of people it alleged were linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRG).
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Friday’s attacks cast doubt on the month-old ceasefire that the United States has insisted is still in effect.
Washington awaits Iran’s response to its latest proposal for a deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping and roll back Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme.
The US Military said Friday that its forces disabled two Iranian tankers that were trying to breach the American blockade of Iran’s ports. Hours earlier, the military said it thwarted attacks on three Navy ships and struck Iranian military facilities in the strait.
On Saturday, the small Gulf island of Bahrain said it had arrested 41 people who were part of a group affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The interior ministry said investigations were ongoing but did not provide details.
Iran issued a warning to Bahrain. “Siding with the US-backed resolution will bring severe consequences. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital lifeline; do not risk closing it on yourselves FOREVER,” Ebrahim Azizi, head of the National Security Commission of Iran’s Parliament, said on social media.
Iran has mostly blocked the critical waterway for global energy since the US and Israel launched the war on February 28, causing a global spike in fuel prices and rattling world markets. The US has imposed its own blockade of Iran’s ports.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Defence Ministry said it was deploying a warship to the Middle East to join a potential mission to protect commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities end.
The ministry said the HMS Dragon will “preposition” in the region, ready to join a UK and French-led security plan. France announced this week it was moving its aircraft carrier strike group into the Red Sea in preparation.
US President Donald Trump has insisted the ceasefire is holding but has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing if Iran doesn’t accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear programme.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the country was not paying attention to “deadlines,” according to state-run IRNA.
Also on Friday, a top Iranian official said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was in “complete health” and eventually would appear in public. Khamenei hasn’t been seen or heard in public since the war began, fuelling speculation about his status. (AP)
Judicial inquiry into Sept 24 Leh violence likely to be completed shortly
93 witnesses examined till 3rd session
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: Judicial inquiry into September 24, 2025 violence in Leh is likely to be completed shortly.
Four persons were killed and a number of others including paramilitary personnel were injured in the violence in which the BJP and Leh Hill Councils offices besides many security vehicles were damaged.
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Rigzin Spalgon, Joint Secretary of the Judicial Inquiry Commission, said 93 witnesses have been examined until the third session of the inquiry.
He expressed hope that the ongoing session would likely be the final phase of the inquiry.
The three-member Judicial Commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge B S Chauhan, was appointed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on October 17, 2025, to look into the circumstances that led to a law and order problem in Leh.
The Commission was also tasked to review actions taken by police during the situation, and assess the events resulting in the loss of four lives, including that of a 1999 Kargil war veteran, in police firing.
Retired District and Sessions Judge Mohan Singh Parihar serves as Judicial Secretary and Advocate Himanshu Sharma acts as counsel to the Commission.
The Commission was formed after the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA)– which had been jointly spearheading the agitation demanding Sixth Schedule status and Statehood to Ladakh — rejected the magisterial inquiry ordered by the LG Ladakh administration into the violence and urged the Centre to order a judicial inquiry.
The Judicial Inquiry Commission has extended the deadline for recording statements and submitting evidence several times, following a formal request from the LAB.
The violence took place during bandh called by youth wing of the LAB seeking preponement of talks with the MHA on Statehood and Sixth Schedule status.
DPS Nagbani holds Capacity Building Programme
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: A CBSE Capacity Building Programme on gender sensitivity was conducted at Delhi Public School Nagbani today with the objective of promoting inclusivity, equality, empathy and respect in educational spaces.
The workshop commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the CBSE Resource Persons Munmun Kohli and Ashish Anand alongwith school Principal R K Verma, Harshita Singh Deputy Headmistress and Coordinators. As a token of gratitude and appreciation, eco-friendly potted plants were presented to the resource persons.
The welcome address was delivered by Principal who emphasised the vital role of educators in nurturing a safe, respectful and unbiased learning environment.
The workshop sessions conducted by the resource persons were highly interactive, engaging and insightful. Through group discussions, case studies, activities, and real-life examples, the participants explored important themes such as gender stereotypes, unconscious bias, equitable opportunities and the importance of sensitivity in classroom interactions. The programme concluded with a presentation of mementoes to resource persons by the Principal.
M K Ajathshatru Singh (Chairman), Dr Ritu Singh (Founder Trustee) and S S Sodhi, Director of the school conveyed their best wishes to the Principal and entire staff for this enriching programme.
Zonal competition on plastic pollution held at Dansal
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: A zonal level competition under Rashtriya Srijan Bharat Vikas Programme (RSBVP) 2025–26 and RBVP–26 was organised at Government Higher Secondary School Dansal, Zone Dansal, Jammu on the theme “Reducing Plastic Pollution.”
The programme was held under the supervision of Zonal Education Officer-cum-Principal Veena Kumari, who was the chief guest on the occasion. MK Bhat, Zonal Nodal Officer Dansal, also attended the event and encouraged the participants.
Students from Govt. Higher Secondary School Marh, Jhajjar Kotli, Gundla, Kathar Manwal, Dansal, Khapohta, GHSS Tarah, GHSS Dhammi, GHSS Kandoli Nagrota and GHSS Jindrah participated in seminar presentations and model exhibitions showcasing environmental awareness ideas.
In the seminar competition, Akarshita Thakur (GHSS Jhajjar Kotli) secured first position, Rajni Sharma (GHSS Dansal) stood second and Lakshdeep Sharma (GHSS Jindrah) got third position.
Model presentations were given by GHSS Kandoli Nagrota students Siya and Tejas on Green Energy, Kajal Devi of GHSS Tarah and Dheeraj Sharma of GHSS Gundla on Health and Hygiene.
The programme concluded with appreciation for students and staff for promoting environmental responsibility.
ASN School holds programme
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 9: ASN Higher Secondary School Channi Himmat today organised oath-taking ceremony of the elected Student Council Members for Session 2026–27 along with a felicitation ceremony for meritorious students of Class 12 Board Examinations in the school auditorium.
The chief guest on the occasion was Deepak Dubey, Joint Director Information, Jammu, while Dr Jagmeet Kaur Bali, Chairperson All J&K Sikh Minority Employees Association, was the special invitee. Guests of honour included Jai Lal Sharma, H C Vaid, Ashok Khajuria and Prof Anil Kumar Raina.
The programme began with the National Anthem, followed by ceremonial lamp lighting and a welcome address by Director Ritesh Kapoor, who highlighted the importance of student leadership, discipline and responsibility.
The elected student council includes Raqib Talib (Head Boy), Parinidhi Singh (Head Girl), Radhesh Singh Chib (Dy Head Boy), Lavanya Kapoor (Dy Head Girl), Tarun Kumar (Boys Sports Captain), Azmat Chowdhary (Girls Sports Captain), Arvind Kumar, Kriti Thakur, Shahroz Bano, Safoora Anjam, Zoya Khan, Gandivay Singh Charak, Ayaan Ashiq and Vaishnavi Pandey in various house and sports leadership roles.
Class 12 meritorious students felicitated included Pratibha Charak (93%), Wani Jan Adhar Fayaz (89.6%), Mohini, Akashdeep Singh, Manrajpal Singh, Jeevanjot Singh, Aakarshit Sahi, Niharika, Kridhama Bhalwal, Niharika Sharma, Sarika and Arfana Kouser.
Deepak Dubey and Dr Jagmeet Kaur Bali congratulated the students and stressed on leadership, ethics and commitment. The event concluded with the National Anthem and vote of thanks by Pankaj Jasrotia.