Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and commitment towards alleviating poverty and helping the marginalised while affirming that he himself learnt a lot from him in the few days, reported news agency ANI. The Indonesian President, who is on his first state visit to India, said he is proud to be in India and further wished "prosperity, peace, and greatness" for the people of India in the coming years. Speaking at the special banquet, Subianto said, "I am very proud to be here (in India)...I am not a professional politician, I am not a good diplomat, I say what is in my heart. I came here for a few days but learned a lot from Prime Minister Modi's leadership and commitments...His commitment to alleviating poverty, helping the marginalized, and helping the weakest part of your society, is an inspiration for us," reported ANI. "I would like to wish the people of India prosperity, peace, and greatness in the coming years. I would like to see Indonesia and India continuing to be close partners and friends," he added. Subianto will grace the 76th Republic Day celebrations at Kartvya Path in the national capital on Sunday. The Rashtrapati Bhavan in a statement said that Murmu recalled that 75 years ago, then Indonesian President Sukarno attended India's Republic Day as the Chief Guest. President Droupadi Murmu received President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honour. She thanked President Subianto for accepting the invitation to grace India’s Republic Day celebration as Chief Guest. She recalled that 75 years… pic.twitter.com/mOsEUaNhQj — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 25, 2025 President Prabowo was received by President Droupadi Murmu at the special banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday. President Murmu thanked President Subianto for accepting the invitation to grace India's Republic Day celebration as Chief Guest. She recalled that 75 years ago, President Sukarno of Indonesia was Chief Guest on our very first Republic Day in 1950. This is a reflection of the long-standing ties and strong democratic traditions between India and Indonesia.
26 January,2025 12:15 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi chose a red and yellow striped "safa" for his Republic Day 2025 look on Sunday, pairing it with a brown bandhgala jacket and pocket square. For the 76th Republic Day celebrations, PM Modi wore a white kurta-pyjama and sported a turban with a long veil. Flamboyant and colourful turbans have been a regular feature in the prime minister's Independence Day and Republic Day looks. Last year, he chose a multi-coloured "bandhani" print safa for his Republic Day look. Bandhani is a type of tie-dye textile popular in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The fabric is decorated by plucking the cloth with fingernails into many tiny bindings that form a figurative design. In 2023 too, PM Modi wore a multi-coloured Rajasthani turban and complemented it with a pair of trousers and a kurta. Later that year, on the 77th Independence Day, he opted for a vibrant Rajasthani-style turban, with multiple colours and a lengthy tail. In 2019, PM Modi sported a multi-coloured turban as he delivered his sixth Independence-Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, after returning to power for a second term with a thumping majority. For his maiden Independence Day as prime minister in 2014, he had opted for a bright red Jodhpuri "bandhej" turban. In 2015, PM Modi chose a yellow turban covered with multi-coloured criss-cross lines, and a tie-and-dye turban in hues of pink and yellow in 2016. The prime minister's turban for 2017 was a mix of bright red and yellow with crisscrossed golden lines all over. He donned a saffron turban for his appearance at the Red Fort in 2018. From a bright red "bandhani" turban from Kutch to a mustard Rajasthani "safa", PM Modi's eye-catching turbans have been a highlight of his Republic-Day appearances too. In 2022, PMModi had chosen a unique traditional cap from Uttarakhand for the Republic-Day celebrations. The cap also had a Brahma Kamal-inspired brooch. Brahma Kamal is Uttarakhand's state flower, which the prime minister uses on every visit to Kedarnath. In 2021, PM Modi wore a "Halari Pagdi", a bright red "bandhej" (a type of tie-dye textile) headgear with yellow dots during the celebratory parade -- a gift from the royal family of Jamnagar in Gujarat.
26 January,2025 12:07 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe 76th Republic Day parade began on the Kartavya Path on Sunday with President Droupadi Murmu taking the salute. Parade Commander and General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar led the parade, followed by Parade Second-in-Command and Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area, Major General Sumit Mehta. Winners of the highest gallantry awards, including the Param Vir Chakra and the Ashok Chakra, followed the parade commander. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (retired) and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (retired), and Ashok Chakra winner Lieutenant Colonel Jas Ram Singh (retired). The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice, other than in the face of the enemy. Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu unfurled the national flag at the Kartavya Path on the 76th Republic Day. The flag hoisting was assisted by Indian Navy Officer Lieutenant Shubham Kumar and Lt Yogita Saini. The flag unfurling was followed by the national anthem with a booming 21-gun salute given with 105 mm Light Field Guns, an indigenous weapon system, stationed along the iconic Kartavya Path. The gun salute was presented by the ceremonial battery of the 172 Field Regiment. President Droupadi Murmu and her Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto arrived at Kartavya Path for the 76th Republic Day parade on Sunday in a traditional buggy, a practice that made a comeback after a 40-year gap last year. They were escorted by the President's Bodyguard -- "Rashtrapati Ke Angrakshak". The President's Bodyguard is the senior-most regiment of the Indian Army. The gold-plated, horse-drawn buggy is a black carriage with the national emblem embossed on it in gold. The buggy, drawn by a mixed breed of Indian and Austrian horses, also features gold-plated rims. The presidential buggy had been used for Republic Day functions till 1984 but was discontinued after the assassination of the then-prime minister Indira Gandhi. The buggy was last used by Giani Zail Singh in 1984 before being discontinued due to security reasons. The presidents then began using limousines for travel. In 2014, then-president Pranab Mukherjee used it again for the beating retreat ceremony. His successor Ram Nath Kovind continued the tradition. He inspected the Guard of Honour in the presidential buggy after taking oath in 2017. During the British era, the buggy belonged to the viceroy of India. After India's independence in 1947, a row erupted between India and Pakistan regarding claims over the carriage. With no immediate solution and higher authority to decide on the row, India's then-Lt Colonel Thakur Govind Singh and the Pakistan Army's Sahabzada Yaqub Khan took full responsibility for the fact that ownership of the buggy would depend on a coin toss. India is believed to have won the toss and the buggy has been with the country since then. The carriage has been used by several presidents on various occasions.
26 January,2025 11:52 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on Republic Day 2025 on Sunday, wishing that the occasion would strengthen efforts towards preserving the ideals of the Constitution. "Happy Republic Day. Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a Republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity. May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the ideals of our Constitution and working towards a stronger and prosperous India," PM Modi posted on X. Happy Republic Day. Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a Republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity. May this occasion strengthen our efforts towards preserving the… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 26, 2025 India celebrates Republic Day 2025 on January 26 as its Constitution took effect on this day in 1950. India will celebrate its 76th Republic Day on Sunday, in a grand showcasitstry's unique blend of rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development and military prowess at Kartavya Path in the national capital. President Droupadi Murmu will lead the country's celebrations. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will grace the occasion as the Chief Guest. Around 10,000 Special Guests are invited to witness the parade, in line with the government's objective to increase 'Jan Bhagidari' in events of national importance. These Special Guests from different walks of life are the architects of 'Swarnim Bharat'. They include the best performers in various fields and those who have made the best use of the schemes of the government. For the first time ever, a tri-services tableau will show the spirit of jointness and integration between the armed forces, having the theme of 'Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat.' The tableau will depict a Joint Operations Room facilitating networking and communication among the three Services. The parade will start at 10:30 AM and will continue for about 90 minutes. The ceremony commences with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. The PM will come to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade. The parade will then begin with the President taking the salute. It will be commanded by Parade Commander Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area will be the Parade Second-in-Command. President's Bodyguard, the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army, will escort the President of India and her Indonesian counterpart as they arrive at Kartavya Path. The two Presidents will arrive in the 'Traditional Buggy.' As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a thunderous 21-gun salute using 105-mm Light Field Guns, an indigenous weapon system. The proud winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow, which include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (retd) and Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (retd), and Ashok Chakra winner Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (retd). The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice. The Marching contingent of Indonesia's Military Academy will also take part in the parade, consisting of 152 members and 190 members in the military band. The first Army contingent leading the Mounted Column will be of 61 Cavalry, led by Lt Ahaan Kumar. Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry is the only serving active Horsed Cavalry Regiment in the world, with the amalgamation of all the 'State Horsed Cavalry Units'. It will be followed by nine Mechanised Columns and nine marching contingents. Brigade of the Guards, The Jat Regiment, The Garhwal Rifles, The Mahar Regiment, The Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Regiment and the Corps of Signals. One of the most eagerly-awaited events of the parade, the Fly-past will witness a breath-taking air show by 40 aircraft/helicopters - 22 fighter jets, 11 transport aircraft and seven helicopters of the Air Force, including Rafale, Su-30, Jaguar, C-130, C-295, C-17, AWACS, Dornier-228 & An-32 aircraft and Apache & Mi-17 helicopters. The ceremony will culminate with the national anthem and the release of balloons carrying banners with the official logo depicting 75 years of the Constitution coming into effect.
26 January,2025 09:35 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA female Sangai deer died at the Delhi zoo after sustaining injuries on Saturday morning, with a senior official describing the incident as "unusual and accidental". The deer is estimated to be aged between two and three. A nilgai (blue bull) was also injured, the officials said. Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar said, "The death of the female deer was unusual and accidental." On the incident involving the nilgai, he said that dominant males had already been separated. Sources at the zoo attributed the death to mismanagement. A source said that during the estrus period, hormonal changes in animals often lead to increased tension and aggression. Deer have not been segregated yet, the source said. On January 2, a one-horned rhinoceros named Dharmendra brought from the Assam zoo as part of an animal exchange programme died under "mysterious circumstances" at the Delhi zoo. On December 28, a nine-month-old white tiger cub succumbed to "traumatic shock and acute pneumonia". The Delhi zoo houses more than 90 different species. It is home to over 1,000 birds and animals including leopards, lions, wolves, Asiatic elephants and chinkaras. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 08:13 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIIn a tragic incident, a Class 10 girl died after a monkey pushed her off the rooftop of her house in Bihar's Siwan district. The mishap occurred in Maghar village under the jurisdiction of the Bhagwanpur police station on Saturday afternoon. The deceased Priya Kumar was studying on the rooftop while basking in the sun due to the cold weather. According to eyewitnesses, a group of monkeys appeared on the rooftop and began harassing her. Fear paralysed Priya, preventing her from escaping. When villagers created a commotion, she mustered the courage to run towards the stairs. However, a monkey reportedly jumped aggressively and pushed her with force, causing her to fall from the rooftop. Priya sustained critical injuries, including severe trauma to the back of her head and other parts of her body. She lost consciousness due to the impact. In a desperate attempt to save her, Priya’s family rushed her to Siwan Sadar Hospital for treatment. Tragically, doctors at the hospital declared her dead upon arrival, citing multiple injuries as the cause of death. Sujeet Kumar Chaudhary, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Bhagwanpur police station, confirmed the incident and shared details of the investigation: “When we learned about the incident, we went there for the investigation. The family members admitted the girl to Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared her dead due to multiple injuries. The family members refused to conduct a post-mortem in this case and have not lodged any complaint against anyone,” Chaudhary stated. Villagers recounted the incident, expressing shock and sorrow. They explained that the monkeys had been creating disturbances in the area for some time, and their aggressive behaviour ultimately led to this fatal accident. The girl's family and the local community are mourning the loss of life, while concerns about increasing human-wildlife conflict in the region are growing. Priya Kumari, a Class 10 student, was preparing for her upcoming matriculation exams. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 08:11 AM IST | Patna | IANSA 27-year-old married woman living in her maternal house allegedly threw her nine-month-old child off roof Saturday morning, police said. According to an officer, Anju Devi had a row with her sister during which she threw the boy off the top of their two-storey house in Krishna Nagar locality. Ballia Superintendent of Police Omvir Singh said the infant was rushed to the district hospital, where the doctors declared him dead. Police have detained Anju Devi and are questioning her. A case has been registered against her under Section 105 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the BNS based on the complaint of the child's grandmother Shobha Devi. According to police, Anju Devi had a love marriage and had been staying with her mother at her house for the last two years. Anju's elder sister Manisha had also been living at the same house for the past two months. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 08:11 AM IST | Ballia (UP) | PTIEight companies of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) from Gujarat have been deployed for the coming Delhi assembly elections, an official said on Saturday. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal earlier in the day tweeted about and questioned the decision. SRPF companies reached Delhi on January 13 as per the order of the Election Commission, Commandant SRPF, Bhachau, Tejas Patel said. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s national convener Kejriwal tweeted a circular issued by the office of the Additional Director General of Police (DGP), Armed Unit, regarding deployment of SRPF for Delhi election. "Read this order of Gujarat Police. Election Commission has removed Punjab Police from Delhi and deployed Gujarat Police. What is going on?" he said in his post on X. His tweet came a day after the Punjab Police personnel deployed for his personal security were withdrawn, which he said was "pure politics." There should not be any politics at least over personal safety and security, he added. Punjab's Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said that component of the state police deployed for Kejriwal's security was withdrawn following directions from the Delhi Police and EC. Polling for all 70 assembly seats in Delhi will be held on February 5 and the votes will be counted on February 8. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 08:09 AM IST | Ahmedabad | PTIArmy troops exchanged fire with terrorists in the higher reaches of Jammu & Kashmir’s Kathua district in the early hours of Saturday, officials said, as a massive search operation is underway to trace out the ultras who fled after the initial fire-fight. The alert sentry post of a temporary Army camp in Batod panchayat detected the movement of suspected terrorists at around 1.20 am and opened fire, the officials said. They said the terrorists fired back and the intermittent exchange of fire continued between the two sides for nearly half an hour. However, there was no casualty on either side, the officials said, adding that the terrorists, believed to be three in number, fled into a nearby forest. They said the Army troops have launched a cordon-and-search operation to track down the terrorists and further details are awaited. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 08:02 AM IST | Jammu | AgenciesA three-judge bench of the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on January 28 a plea moved by former councillor and February 2020 Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain, seeking interim bail to campaign for the upcoming Assembly polls in the capital. Hussain failed to secure interim bail on January 22, after a two-judge bench of the apex court gave a split verdict. According to the cause list of January 28 uploaded on the court’s website, the plea is slated to come up for hearing before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta. The Delhi HC granted custody parole to Hussain on January 14 to file his nomination papers from the Mustafabad constituency on an AIMIM ticket. It had, however, declined his plea for interim bail from January 14 to February 9 to contest the February 5 election, saying the gravity of the allegations against Hussain, being the main perpetrator in the violence that resulted in the death of several people, could not be overlooked. The HC said 11 FIRs were lodged against Hussain in connection with the riots and he was admittedly in custody in a related money-laundering case and a case registered under the UAPA. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 08:00 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesIndia is set to showcase its military prowess and rich cultural heritage and display a symbolic confluence of “virasat” and “vikas” on Kartavya Path here to mark the 76th Republic Day on January 26 when the nation will also commemorate the platinum jubilee of the enactment of the Constitution. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest on the occasion and the ceremonial parade will also see participation of a marching contingent and a band contingent from Indonesia. He will be the fourth Indonesian president to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations. Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, was the chief guest at India’s first Republic Day celebrations in 1950. While 75 years of the Constitution is the focus of celebrations this year, the theme for the tableaux is “Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas”. Sixteen tableaux from across states and Union Territories and 15 from central ministries, departments and organisations will roll down the ceremonial boulevard on Sunday. The country will display its military prowess by showcasing some of the cutting-edge defence platforms including BrahMos, Pinaka and Akash, with the Army’s Battle Surveillance System “Sanjay” and DRDO’s surface-to-surface tactical missile “Pralay” set to register their presence in the ceremonial parade for the first time. T-90 “Bhishma” tanks Sarath (infantry carrying vehicle BMP-II), Short Span Bridging System 10m, Nag Missile System, multi-barrel rocket launcher system “Agnibaan” and “Bajrang” (light specialist vehicle) will also be part of the parade, officials said on Thursday. The parade will see many other firsts as well, such as the tri-services tableau that will depict the spirit of “jointness” among the armed forces. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 January,2025 07:59 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
