In Punjab, the 150th Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, the oldest Hindustani classical music festival in the country, is starting from tomorrow evening at Shree Devi Talab Temple, Jalandhar. The festival is being organised in collaboration with the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala of the Union Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India and supported by the state government.

The 3-day festival is dedicated to the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and acclaimed Banaras Gharana vocalist Pt Chhannu Lal Mishra, who passed away in October this year.

Renowned classical music artists like folk vocalist icon Vidushi Malini Awasthi, Pt Sajan Mishara, his son Swaransh Mishra, Pt Ronu Majumdar, Shashank Subramanyam, Ashwini Bhide, Pt Sanjeev Abhyankar, Pt Shubhendra Rao, Saskia Rao-de-Haas, Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, Pt Vijay Ghate, V Selvaganesh, Naveen Sharma and Shikharnaad Qureshi, among others, will perform from 26 to 28 December.

India will take over as a Vice Chair of Kimberley Process from today, before assuming the chairpersonship from 1st January next year. The Kimberley Process is a tripartite initiative involving governments, the international diamond industry and civil society to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that India’s selection reflects global trust in the government’s commitment to promoting integrity and transparency in international trade.

As Vice Chair in 2025 and Chair in 2026, India will work closely with all participants and observers to ensure rule-based compliance, enhance its credibility, in line with its core objectives and evolving global expectations, while working towards making the Kimberley Process a more inclusive and effective multilateral framework. The initiative currently has 60 participants accounting for over 99 per cent of the global rough diamond trade, making it the most comprehensive international mechanism governing this sector.

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking a significant step towards linguistic inclusion and accessibility.

Addressing the gathering, the President said it was a moment of pride and happiness for the Santhali-speaking community that the Constitution is now available in their own language, written in the Ol Chiki script. She said this would enable SWanthali speakers to read and understand the Constitution more easily and connect more deeply with its values and principles.

The President noted that the release assumes special significance as the country is celebrating the centenary year of the Ol Chiki script. She appreciated the Union Ministry of Law and Justice and its team for bringing out the Constitution in the Ol Chiki script during this milestone year.

When the world is racing on the highway of connectivity, smartphones will be prohibited for married women belonging to a sect of the Jat community in Rajasthan’s Jalore district from Republic Day in 2026. The diktat was issued at a caste panchayat held in Ghazipur village on December 21.

The panchayat ordered that no daughter-in-law or young woman from 15 villages in the Bhinmal-Khanpur area carry camera-enabled mobile phones to weddings, public gatherings, and even while visiting neighbours, from January 26. They can use only basic keypad phones for voice calls.

The Sundhamata Patti panchayat of the Chaudhary clan took the decision “with consensus”, citing concerns of mobile addiction and the impact of screentime on children’s eyesight. Panch Himmataram read out the proposal, which was passed as a resolution after discussions among all panchayat members and elders, who agreed to implement the rule.

Renowned sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik added another feather to his cap this Christmas by creating a world-record sand art installation at Niladri Beach in Puri, Odisha. Titled “World’s Biggest Apple and Sand Installation of Santa Claus”, the massive artwork blends festive cheer with a message of global harmony.

Unveiled on Thursday, the installation was officially recognised by the World Records Book of India. Created using 1.5 tonnes of apples along with sand, the sculpture measures an impressive 60 feet in length, 45 feet in width and 22 feet in height. Through the larger-than-life depiction of Santa Claus, Pattnaik sought to spread a message of peace and unity during the holiday season.

The Delhi Metro on Thursday operated its first-ever train, TS#01, as a special service to mark the anniversary of the commencement of passenger services on the network in 2002.

The train was run on the 8.3-km Shahdara-Tis Hazari section, where Delhi Metro services were inaugurated more than two decades ago, enabling passengers to relive the experience of the historic inaugural run, according to a statement.

TS#01 was decorated with flowers and a commemorative banner on the occasion, while passengers travelling on the special service were greeted with flowers, it said.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted its two-day inaugural Flight Safety Seminar along with the First Annual Flight Safety Meeting in New Delhi. The seminar, which concluded yesterday, featured expert lectures by eminent military and civil aviation specialists, covering diverse aspects of aviation safety, operations, airworthiness, and human factors.

These sessions facilitated a meaningful exchange of knowledge and best practices among participants. The event witnessed participation from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives from defence services, civil aviation authorities, and allied organisations, reflecting a collaborative and joint approach towards flight safety.

Addressing the event, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Samir Kumar Sinha, highlighted the pivotal role of ICG aviation in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests. He underscored the paramount importance of a strong safety culture in aviation operations.

One of India’s most impactful rural infrastructure initiatives, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) marks its 25th anniversary today. Launched on 25th December 2000 to ensure all-weather connectivity to previously unconnected rural habitations, the programme has emerged as a key enabler of agricultural growth, employment generation, improved access to education and health services, and poverty alleviation.

Since its inception, over 8 lakh 25 thousand kilometres of rural roads have been sanctioned under PM Gram Sadak Yojana, with more than 7 lakh 87 thousand kilometres completed. Budgetary allocations to the Scheme in recent years reflect the government’s sustained emphasis on strengthening rural road connectivity. Around 19 thousand crore rupees have been allocated for the financial year 2025-26. Under Phase IV, a total road length of 62 thousand 500 kilometers will be constructed between the financial years 2024-25 and 2028-29, with an overall financial outlay of over 70 thousand crore.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport commenced commercial flight operations today, marking a key milestone for India’s civil aviation sector. The airport is also expanding air travel capacity for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) began operations, with the first flight, operated by IndiGo, flight no. 6E460, travelling from Bengaluru, landed at the Navi Mumbai International Airport at 8 am. According to the airport operator, the aircraft was accorded a ceremonial water cannon salute on arrival, a time-honoured aviation tradition marking NMIA’s first commercial touchdown and departure.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister Manohar Lal inaugurated the ‘Atal Canteen’ in the national capital, on the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday. Addressing the media, the Delhi Chief Minister hailed it as a major scheme for the needy and working people in the city, where they can have a meal for just 5 rupees. She informed that 45 canteens have started operating today, while the remaining 55 canteens will open in the next 15 days.

Meanwhile, Mr Lal said, this initiative will benefit millions of people. He noted that these canteens will help fulfil Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision that no one should go to bed hungry.