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New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANSLife) Ace shuttler Sania Mirza says she has always been very particular about the skincare products she uses. "But it`s definitely way more now that I`m a mother," she reveals.
 
"I wouldn`t want to think twice before hugging or kissing my son Izhaan and that`s why I only trust the best," says Sania, who has been featured in a new digital campaign by Clovia for its skincare range, Clovia Botaniqa which is especially for mothers. 
The campaign launched with a video starring Sania, where the young mom shares her personal journey post motherhood. Sania says that motherhood is a beautiful phase but there are many physical changes that take place in a woman`s life post-pregnancy. The adept sportswoman has had to contend with acne, uneven skin tone and blemishes post-partum. Being around a newborn baby, it is essential that any products that she uses to address these challenges be natural, safe and chemical-free. 
The latest Clovia Botaniqa range includes varied options in products such as oils, body butter, face washes, and face masks, to shampoos, conditioners, and serums. Carefully curated for the needs of new moms, the range offers solutions for problems faced during and post-pregnancy, such as hair-fall, tired/dull skin, stretch marks, dryness, acne as well as stress. 
Talking about the new range, Neha Kant, Founder, Clovia said: "Regular skincare routine isn`t always easy, especially for new moms, who find their priorities change post motherhood. Driving with this insight, Clovia launched a digital campaign featuring the ace tennis player with an aim to encourage women/mothers in their efforts to look after themselves." 
--IANS 
pg/khz

New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANSLife) Ace shuttler Sania Mirza says she has always been very particular about the skincare products she uses. "But it`s definitely way more now that I`m a mother," she reveals.

New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANSLife) Ace shuttler Sania Mirza says she has always been very particular about the skincare products she uses. "But it`s definitely way more now that I`m a mother," she reveals. "I wouldn`t want to think twice before hugging or kissing my son Izhaan and that`s why I only trust the best," says Sania, who has been featured in a new digital campaign by Clovia for its skincare range, Clovia Botaniqa which is especially for mothers. The campaign launched with a video starring Sania, where the young mom shares her personal journey post motherhood. Sania says that motherhood is a beautiful phase but there are many physical changes that take place in a woman`s life post-pregnancy. The adept sportswoman has had to contend with acne, uneven skin tone and blemishes post-partum. Being around a newborn baby, it is essential that any products that she uses to address these challenges be natural, safe and chemical-free. The latest Clovia Botaniqa range includes varied options in products such as oils, body butter, face washes, and face masks, to shampoos, conditioners, and serums. Carefully curated for the needs of new moms, the range offers solutions for problems faced during and post-pregnancy, such as hair-fall, tired/dull skin, stretch marks, dryness, acne as well as stress. Talking about the new range, Neha Kant, Founder, Clovia said: "Regular skincare routine isn`t always easy, especially for new moms, who find their priorities change post motherhood. Driving with this insight, Clovia launched a digital campaign featuring the ace tennis player with an aim to encourage women/mothers in their efforts to look after themselves." --IANS pg/khz

Sania Mirza shares her beauty preference

The rising influence of the Indian-origin community around the globe has made it impossible for governments to ignore the largest diaspora in the world.

It’s not just the US or UK where the Indian diaspora is influential. Indians account for a third of the United Arab Emirates’ total population. Countries like Canada, the UK and the US have several politicians and representatives who trace their roots to India—from US vice-president Kamala Harris to Canadian senator Sarabjit Marwah.

Over 200 Indian-origin people occupy leadership positions in as many as 15 countries, including the US and the UK, building a legacy for future generations, according to a first-of-its-kind list by a US-based organisation working among the Indian diaspora.

The 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List, which was released on Monday, had drawn from government websites and other publicly-available resources to prepare the report to showcase the achievements of the community leaders across different sectors.

It said that more than 200 leaders of Indian heritage have ascended to the highest echelons of public service in 15 countries across the globe, with over 60 of them holding Cabinet positions.

"It is a huge source of pride to have the first woman and first person of colour as the Vice President of the world's oldest democracy be someone of Indian heritage. We wanted to use this seminal moment on Presidents' Day to highlight a host of others in the diaspora who also are in public service," said Indiaspora founder M R Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and investor.

He was referring to Kamala Harris, the first woman Vice President of the United States.

"These leaders are building a legacy for future generations, and one that extends beyond our community to all of the constituents and communities that they serve," Rangaswami said in a statement.

The list also includes diplomats, legislators, heads of central banks and senior civil servants from countries with significant histories of diaspora migration, such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"It is an honour to be included on the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List. As the longest-serving Indian-American member of Congress, I am proud to be a leader in the Indian-American community, which has become an integral part of American life and society," said Congressman Ami Bera, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia.

With more than 32 million people of Indian-origin or (PIOs) globally, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world.

The officials on the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List collectively represent more than 587 million constituents, and their countries account for an estimated USD 28 trillion in GDP, demonstrating the impact these leaders are having globally, Indiaspora said in a statement.

"It truly is inspiring to note the remarkable contribution that government leaders of Indian heritage have made to advance the societies that they now represent.

"For a sizable segment of the population, it is government policy addressing social injustices that lead to a transformative path of sustainable socio-economic progress," said Rosy Akbar, Fiji's Minister of Education, Heritage, and Arts.

The list includes immigrants from India, as well as professionals born in countries such as Singapore, South Africa, England, Canada and the US. 
 
Portugal's Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa is also of Indian descent. Born on July 17, 1961, in Lisbon, Costa was raised in the intellectual circles frequented by his parents, Orlando da Costa, a communist writer descended from a family from Goa, Portugal's former colony in India, and Maria Antonia Palla, a journalist and women's rights advocate.

"As a proud Indo-Canadian, it is an honour to be included in the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List alongside an accomplished and diverse group of leaders from the India diaspora," said Senator Ratna Omidvar.

"I am eternally proud of my Indian heritage but also being Canadian. Canada has given me its protection and its opportunities, and in return, I am committed to making it a better place so that it continues to be a land of protection and opportunity for future Canadians," he said.

While some of the officials are part of their country's first wave of immigration, arriving as refugees or for economic opportunities, others serving in their governments are part of subsequent waves of diaspora, who came for educational opportunities, or are of subsequent generations, Indiaspora said.

"It is inspiring to see the number of Indian diaspora&nbsp;who are entering the public arena," said Indiaspora Board Member Arun Kumar, chairman and CEO at KPMG India, who served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Obama administration.

"Having had the opportunity to serve, I can speak to what a memorable and fulfilling experience it was. Above all, it was a meaningful way to give back. My hope is that this cohort of leaders will set an example for even more of the Indian diaspora to aspire to public service," Kumar added.

(With inputs from agencies)

The rising influence of the Indian-origin community around the globe has made it impossible for governments to ignore the largest diaspora in the world. It’s not just the US or UK where the Indian diaspora is influential.

The rising influence of the Indian-origin community around the globe has made it impossible for governments to ignore the largest diaspora in the world. It’s not just the US or UK where the Indian diaspora is influential. Indians account for a third of the United Arab Emirates’ total population. Countries like Canada, the UK and the US have several politicians and representatives who trace their roots to India—from US vice-president Kamala Harris to Canadian senator Sarabjit Marwah. Over 200 Indian-origin people occupy leadership positions in as many as 15 countries, including the US and the UK, building a legacy for future generations, according to a first-of-its-kind list by a US-based organisation working among the Indian diaspora. The 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List, which was released on Monday, had drawn from government websites and other publicly-available resources to prepare the report to showcase the achievements of the community leaders across different sectors. It said that more than 200 leaders of Indian heritage have ascended to the highest echelons of public service in 15 countries across the globe, with over 60 of them holding Cabinet positions. "It is a huge source of pride to have the first woman and first person of colour as the Vice President of the world's oldest democracy be someone of Indian heritage. We wanted to use this seminal moment on Presidents' Day to highlight a host of others in the diaspora who also are in public service," said Indiaspora founder M R Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur and investor. He was referring to Kamala Harris, the first woman Vice President of the United States. "These leaders are building a legacy for future generations, and one that extends beyond our community to all of the constituents and communities that they serve," Rangaswami said in a statement. The list also includes diplomats, legislators, heads of central banks and senior civil servants from countries with significant histories of diaspora migration, such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States. "It is an honour to be included on the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List. As the longest-serving Indian-American member of Congress, I am proud to be a leader in the Indian-American community, which has become an integral part of American life and society," said Congressman Ami Bera, Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia. With more than 32 million people of Indian-origin or (PIOs) globally, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the largest diaspora population in the world. The officials on the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List collectively represent more than 587 million constituents, and their countries account for an estimated USD 28 trillion in GDP, demonstrating the impact these leaders are having globally, Indiaspora said in a statement. "It truly is inspiring to note the remarkable contribution that government leaders of Indian heritage have made to advance the societies that they now represent. "For a sizable segment of the population, it is government policy addressing social injustices that lead to a transformative path of sustainable socio-economic progress," said Rosy Akbar, Fiji's Minister of Education, Heritage, and Arts. The list includes immigrants from India, as well as professionals born in countries such as Singapore, South Africa, England, Canada and the US. Portugal's Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa is also of Indian descent. Born on July 17, 1961, in Lisbon, Costa was raised in the intellectual circles frequented by his parents, Orlando da Costa, a communist writer descended from a family from Goa, Portugal's former colony in India, and Maria Antonia Palla, a journalist and women's rights advocate. "As a proud Indo-Canadian, it is an honour to be included in the 2021 Indiaspora Government Leaders List alongside an accomplished and diverse group of leaders from the India diaspora," said Senator Ratna Omidvar. "I am eternally proud of my Indian heritage but also being Canadian. Canada has given me its protection and its opportunities, and in return, I am committed to making it a better place so that it continues to be a land of protection and opportunity for future Canadians," he said. While some of the officials are part of their country's first wave of immigration, arriving as refugees or for economic opportunities, others serving in their governments are part of subsequent waves of diaspora, who came for educational opportunities, or are of subsequent generations, Indiaspora said. "It is inspiring to see the number of Indian diaspora who are entering the public arena," said Indiaspora Board Member Arun Kumar, chairman and CEO at KPMG India, who served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce in the Obama administration. "Having had the opportunity to serve, I can speak to what a memorable and fulfilling experience it was. Above all, it was a meaningful way to give back. My hope is that this cohort of leaders will set an example for even more of the Indian diaspora to aspire to public service," Kumar added. (With inputs from agencies)

From US, UK to Portugal & Canada: Indian-origin politicians are everywhere 

Petrol and diesel prices maintained a northward rally on Monday, the seventh consecutive day when the retail prices have risen across the country, with oil on the boil in global markets and both crude and product prices seeing a big spike.

Accordingly, oil marketing companies raised the pump price of diesel by a high level of 29 paise per litre and petrol by another 26 paise per litre in Delhi.

With this increase, petrol is now priced at Rs 88.99 a litre and diesel Rs 79.35 a litre in the national capital.

In the last seven days, the price has gone up by Rs 2.06 per litre for petrol while diesel rate has risen by Rs 2.56 a litre.

Across the country as well the petrol price increase ranged from 23-26 paise per litre and diesel price 28-30 paise per litre depending on the level of local taxes on the two petroleum products.

In Mumbai, petrol price is just Rs 4 per litre short (Rs 95.46 a litre) of touching three digit mark of Rs 100 per litre for the very first ever anywhere in the country. Diesel price in the city is closing on Rs 90 a litre (Rs 86.34 a litre). In all other metros, petrol is over Rs 90 a litre mark while diesel is well over Rs 80 a litre barring Delhi

The increase on Monday has followed the firming global oil prices (both product and crude) that have maintained a record streak of gains in the past few days with crude reaching close to $ 63.5 a barrel mark (single day gain over 2 per cent).

But experts said that fresh lockdown in various parts of the globe on new coronavirus strain may impact demand and push down prices soon. Also, Saudi Arabia unilateral production cuts may also be withdrawn post March putting downward pressure on oil prices.

Though firm global crude and product price is the reason for the increase in retail price of petrol and diesel, it is interesting to note that even though crude has been hovering just over $55 a barrel for a long time earlier, OMCs had gone in for both a pause in price of auto fuels as well increase in its retail prices on consecutive days.

Crude prices have remained firm for the last few weeks in the wake of unilateral production cuts announced by Saudi Arabia and a pick up in consumption in all major economies globally.

The petrol and diesel prices have increased 19 times in 2021 with the two auto fuels increasing by Rs 5.28 and Rs 5.48 per litre respectively so far this year.

The last few increases in pump prices in petrol and diesel has taken its price to record levels across the country in all major metro cities and other towns. The last time the retail price of auto fuels were closer to current levels was on October 4, 2018 when crude prices had shot up up $ 80 a barrel.

The current price rise is largely on account of steep increase in central taxes of petrol and diesel and firm crude prices. The Budget has also imposed a new agriculture infrastructure and development cess. Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan has ruled out any cut in duty on petro products.

Petrol and diesel prices maintained a northward rally on Monday, the seventh consecutive day when the retail prices have risen across the country, with oil on the boil in global markets and both crude and product prices seeing a big spike.

Petrol and diesel prices maintained a northward rally on Monday, the seventh consecutive day when the retail prices have risen across the country, with oil on the boil in global markets and both crude and product prices seeing a big spike. Accordingly, oil marketing companies raised the pump price of diesel by a high level of 29 paise per litre and petrol by another 26 paise per litre in Delhi. With this increase, petrol is now priced at Rs 88.99 a litre and diesel Rs 79.35 a litre in the national capital. In the last seven days, the price has gone up by Rs 2.06 per litre for petrol while diesel rate has risen by Rs 2.56 a litre. Across the country as well the petrol price increase ranged from 23-26 paise per litre and diesel price 28-30 paise per litre depending on the level of local taxes on the two petroleum products. In Mumbai, petrol price is just Rs 4 per litre short (Rs 95.46 a litre) of touching three digit mark of Rs 100 per litre for the very first ever anywhere in the country. Diesel price in the city is closing on Rs 90 a litre (Rs 86.34 a litre). In all other metros, petrol is over Rs 90 a litre mark while diesel is well over Rs 80 a litre barring Delhi The increase on Monday has followed the firming global oil prices (both product and crude) that have maintained a record streak of gains in the past few days with crude reaching close to $ 63.5 a barrel mark (single day gain over 2 per cent). But experts said that fresh lockdown in various parts of the globe on new coronavirus strain may impact demand and push down prices soon. Also, Saudi Arabia unilateral production cuts may also be withdrawn post March putting downward pressure on oil prices. Though firm global crude and product price is the reason for the increase in retail price of petrol and diesel, it is interesting to note that even though crude has been hovering just over $55 a barrel for a long time earlier, OMCs had gone in for both a pause in price of auto fuels as well increase in its retail prices on consecutive days. Crude prices have remained firm for the last few weeks in the wake of unilateral production cuts announced by Saudi Arabia and a pick up in consumption in all major economies globally. The petrol and diesel prices have increased 19 times in 2021 with the two auto fuels increasing by Rs 5.28 and Rs 5.48 per litre respectively so far this year. The last few increases in pump prices in petrol and diesel has taken its price to record levels across the country in all major metro cities and other towns. The last time the retail price of auto fuels were closer to current levels was on October 4, 2018 when crude prices had shot up up $ 80 a barrel. The current price rise is largely on account of steep increase in central taxes of petrol and diesel and firm crude prices. The Budget has also imposed a new agriculture infrastructure and development cess. Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan has ruled out any cut in duty on petro products.

Petrol, diesel prices rise for 7th consecutive day

Continuing its streak of low number of single-day coronavirus cases, India reported 11,649 new infections in the last 24 hours even as its overall tally mounted to 1,09,16,589, health officials said on Monday.

For over a month, India has recorded less than 15,000 new infections daily. Besides, the daily Covid-19 death toll has been treading below the 200-mark for more than a month now.

On February 9, the country had reported 9,110 new cases, the lowest this year so far. Last year, the lowest 9,633 cases were recorded on June 3.

The Health Ministry said there were 90 more Covid-19 fatalities, taking the overall death toll to 1,55,732

As per the Ministry`s data, there are 1,39,637 active cases at present after 9,489 patients were discharged in a day. Till now, 1,06,21,220 persons have been discharged so far.

The recovery rate has increased to 97.29 per cent, while the fatality rate is down to 1.43 per cent.

The ministry also informed that 4,86,122 samples were tested on Friday.

Meanwhile, more than 8 million (82,85,295) doses of corona vaccine have been administered in India since the drive began on January 16 after approval for `Covishield` and `Covaxin`.

As per the Union Health Ministry, India has become the fastest nation in terms of the vaccine doses administered in the country, even though many countries had launched their vaccination campaigns earlier than her.

Continuing its streak of low number of single-day coronavirus cases, India reported 11,649 new infections in the last 24 hours even as its overall tally mounted to 1,09,16,589, health officials said on Monday.

Continuing its streak of low number of single-day coronavirus cases, India reported 11,649 new infections in the last 24 hours even as its overall tally mounted to 1,09,16,589, health officials said on Monday. For over a month, India has recorded less than 15,000 new infections daily. Besides, the daily Covid-19 death toll has been treading below the 200-mark for more than a month now. On February 9, the country had reported 9,110 new cases, the lowest this year so far. Last year, the lowest 9,633 cases were recorded on June 3. The Health Ministry said there were 90 more Covid-19 fatalities, taking the overall death toll to 1,55,732 As per the Ministry`s data, there are 1,39,637 active cases at present after 9,489 patients were discharged in a day. Till now, 1,06,21,220 persons have been discharged so far. The recovery rate has increased to 97.29 per cent, while the fatality rate is down to 1.43 per cent. The ministry also informed that 4,86,122 samples were tested on Friday. Meanwhile, more than 8 million (82,85,295) doses of corona vaccine have been administered in India since the drive began on January 16 after approval for `Covishield` and `Covaxin`. As per the Union Health Ministry, India has become the fastest nation in terms of the vaccine doses administered in the country, even though many countries had launched their vaccination campaigns earlier than her.

India reports 11,649 new COVID cases, 90 deaths

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India recorded 11,649 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours with 90 fatalities, the health ministry informed.

The total number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-vaccination-drive-over-7000-get-second-dose-total-80-lakh-vaccinated-so-far-363457">COVID-19</a> cases has risen to 1,09,16,589 with the nationwide death toll rising to 1,55,732. The number of active cases recorded on Monday was 1,55,732.

India continues to record a steady decline in the number of daily deaths due to COVID-19 as only 92 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry had said on Sunday adding,&nbsp;India has been recording a steady decline in the number of daily new deaths since October 1, 2020, while the national recovery rate is amongst the highest in the world.

"Since October 1, 2020, the nation has seen an unabated decline in case fatality rate. The case fatality rate today stands below 1.5 (1.43%). India's case fatality rate is one of the lowest in the world," it said.

According to the government, 82,85,295 people have been vaccinated so far. India's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/common-cold-cant-be-termed-as-sign-of-coronavirus-aiims-363511">coronavirus </a>cases had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year with 40 lakh cases recorded on September 5, 2020.

Meanwhile, Telangana state health department recorded less than 100 fresh coronavirus cases with two deaths as the total death toll rose to 1,618 even as Arunachal Pradesh recorded no new coronavirus cases.

According to India's health ministry, over 70 per cent of the deaths have occurred due to comorbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said asserting state-wise distribution of figures was subject to further verification.

Tamil Nadu which is one of the worst-hit states with the virus reported 470 new COVID-19 cases along with six deaths even as Karnataka reported 414 new coronavirus cases along with two deaths taking the total death toll to 12,265 in the country.

Kerala reported 4,612 fresh COVID-19 cases with 612 active cases, the state health ministry informed with 9,36,398 people having recovered from the virus.

India recorded 11,649 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours with 90 fatalities, the health ministry informed. The total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 1,09,16,589 with the nationwide death toll rising to 1,55,732.

India recorded 11,649 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours with 90 fatalities, the health ministry informed. The total number of COVID-19 cases has risen to 1,09,16,589 with the nationwide death toll rising to 1,55,732. The number of active cases recorded on Monday was 1,55,732. India continues to record a steady decline in the number of daily deaths due to COVID-19 as only 92 deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the health ministry had said on Sunday adding, India has been recording a steady decline in the number of daily new deaths since October 1, 2020, while the national recovery rate is amongst the highest in the world. "Since October 1, 2020, the nation has seen an unabated decline in case fatality rate. The case fatality rate today stands below 1.5 (1.43%). India's case fatality rate is one of the lowest in the world," it said. According to the government, 82,85,295 people have been vaccinated so far. India's coronavirus cases had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 last year with 40 lakh cases recorded on September 5, 2020. Meanwhile, Telangana state health department recorded less than 100 fresh coronavirus cases with two deaths as the total death toll rose to 1,618 even as Arunachal Pradesh recorded no new coronavirus cases. According to India's health ministry, over 70 per cent of the deaths have occurred due to comorbidities. "Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said asserting state-wise distribution of figures was subject to further verification. Tamil Nadu which is one of the worst-hit states with the virus reported 470 new COVID-19 cases along with six deaths even as Karnataka reported 414 new coronavirus cases along with two deaths taking the total death toll to 12,265 in the country. Kerala reported 4,612 fresh COVID-19 cases with 612 active cases, the state health ministry informed with 9,36,398 people having recovered from the virus.

India's coronavirus daily death toll continues to decline; 90 fatalities recorded in 24 hours

Indian&nbsp;External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has pitched for connectivity from the "Arabian Sea to the South China Sea" even as New Delhi and Tokyo work together in tandem.

Speaking at an event in Guwahati, Jaishankar said, "approach to create connectivity to and within Assam, beyond to the North-East, then to neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh, but eventually push all the way by road, by sea, by air to Vietnam, to Japan."

India is working on a number of connectivity projects to connect northeast with East Asia. These include India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, with an aim to expand it to Vietnam via Laos.

The Kaladan Multimodal transport link will provide North East access via Sittwe Project and the Paletwa Inland Water Terminal. Work is on BIMSTEC masterplan on transport connectivity via 264 projects.

He lauded India Japan partnership, calling it "natural and close" and said, "India-Japan collaboration has always had a central place in our national modernization and development efforts." Japan has been involved in the funding of the Guwahati water supply project, road connectivity in the northeast, construction&nbsp;of a primary school in Manipur etc.

Recently New Delhi and Tokyo reached a pact for people from India to jo to Japan under "specified skilled workers" visa and will increase in people to people engagement.

Interestingly he pointed out to Assam becoming a "major player" in producing refined petroleum products and "a pipeline to supply Bangladesh high-speed diesel is an important beginning". &nbsp;India and Nepal recently opened a cross country oil pipeline, the first such pipeline in South Asia.

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has pitched for connectivity from the "Arabian Sea to the South China Sea" even as New Delhi and Tokyo work together in tandem.

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has pitched for connectivity from the "Arabian Sea to the South China Sea" even as New Delhi and Tokyo work together in tandem. Speaking at an event in Guwahati, Jaishankar said, "approach to create connectivity to and within Assam, beyond to the North-East, then to neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh, but eventually push all the way by road, by sea, by air to Vietnam, to Japan." India is working on a number of connectivity projects to connect northeast with East Asia. These include India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, with an aim to expand it to Vietnam via Laos. The Kaladan Multimodal transport link will provide North East access via Sittwe Project and the Paletwa Inland Water Terminal. Work is on BIMSTEC masterplan on transport connectivity via 264 projects. He lauded India Japan partnership, calling it "natural and close" and said, "India-Japan collaboration has always had a central place in our national modernization and development efforts." Japan has been involved in the funding of the Guwahati water supply project, road connectivity in the northeast, construction of a primary school in Manipur etc. Recently New Delhi and Tokyo reached a pact for people from India to jo to Japan under "specified skilled workers" visa and will increase in people to people engagement. Interestingly he pointed out to Assam becoming a "major player" in producing refined petroleum products and "a pipeline to supply Bangladesh high-speed diesel is an important beginning". India and Nepal recently opened a cross country oil pipeline, the first such pipeline in South Asia.

EAM pitches for connectivity from Arabian Sea to South China Sea

Complete disengagement at the Pangong lake as agreed between India and China last week is expected to be over by end of this week. Last week, it was agreed that as part of disengagement, Chinese forces will move east of finger 8 of the north bank of the lake, while India will base its troops at the permanent base -- Dhan Singh Thapa post near finger 8.&nbsp;

Right now, on the ground, between finger 4 and finger 8, things are in various stages of dismantlement. As part of the agreement, it was agreed that any structure built by both sides after April 2020 will be removed. April 2020 was the month when Chinese attempts to change things on the ground unilaterally started.&nbsp;

Once the disengagement is over at Pangong, no patrolling will take place in the area from Finger 4 to finger 8 till both sides agree via diplomatic and military talks.&nbsp;

The 10th round of military talks, which was agreed to happen 48 hours after complete disengagement will happen, expectedly by next week. The talks will focus on disengagement on Gogra, Depsang, and hot spring. &nbsp;&nbsp;

2020 saw heightened tensions between India and China due to aggressive actions by Chinese forces at the Line of actual control in eastern Ladakh. The Galwan incident saw the death of 20 Indian soldiers, and while China also suffered casualties, it did not come up with any number.

Complete disengagement at the Pangong lake as agreed between India and China last week is expected to be over by end of this week. Last week, it was agreed that as part of disengagement, Chinese forces will move east of finger 8 of the north bank of the lake, while India will base its troops at the permanent base -- Dhan Singh Thapa post near finger 8.

Complete disengagement at the Pangong lake as agreed between India and China last week is expected to be over by end of this week. Last week, it was agreed that as part of disengagement, Chinese forces will move east of finger 8 of the north bank of the lake, while India will base its troops at the permanent base -- Dhan Singh Thapa post near finger 8. Right now, on the ground, between finger 4 and finger 8, things are in various stages of dismantlement. As part of the agreement, it was agreed that any structure built by both sides after April 2020 will be removed. April 2020 was the month when Chinese attempts to change things on the ground unilaterally started. Once the disengagement is over at Pangong, no patrolling will take place in the area from Finger 4 to finger 8 till both sides agree via diplomatic and military talks. The 10th round of military talks, which was agreed to happen 48 hours after complete disengagement will happen, expectedly by next week. The talks will focus on disengagement on Gogra, Depsang, and hot spring. 2020 saw heightened tensions between India and China due to aggressive actions by Chinese forces at the Line of actual control in eastern Ladakh. The Galwan incident saw the death of 20 Indian soldiers, and while China also suffered casualties, it did not come up with any number.

Disengagement at Pangong to be over by this week

India has lost lives of 3 million people in the last decade alone. On an average around 500,000 road crashes takes place every year in the country, in which average of 150,000 people loses their lives. WION brings you a report.

India accounts for 11% of global deaths in road accidents

India's COVID-19 numbers are setting an example for the world to follow. One of the most popular nations yet the most impressive mechanism to deal with the pandemic, there is a sharp drop in COVID-19 caseload.

India's COVID-19 fatality rate falls to 1.43%. Country reports progressive increase in vaccination

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday that 18-19 potential vaccines against novel coronavirus were in different stages of clinical trials, adding that no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days.

"About 18-20 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline and are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages," Vardhan said.

"Some are in Phase I, some in Phase II, and a few approaching Phase III of the clinical trials. We are elated to have a huge portfolio soon," he said at a press conference here.

Dispelling rumours surrounding the vaccines, Vardhan said the vaccines in the public domain are safe and effective. He said no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days, while no new cases have been reported in 21 districts in 21 days.

Vardhan further urged people to keep following COVID appropriate behaviour. "It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I call social vaccine, along with real vaccines," he said. India has approved two vaccines -- Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield from the Oxford/AstraZeneca stable being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India -- for emergency use in the country.

Till 8 AM on February 15, the cumulative number of healthcare workers (HCW) and frontline workers (FLW) vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country has reached nearly 83 lakh.

A total 82,85,295 beneficiaries have been vaccinated through 1,73,729 sessions, as per the provisional report till 8 am. These include 59,88,113 HCWs (1st dose), 24,561 HCWs (2nd dose) and 22,72,621 FLWs (1stdose).

India's cumulative recoveries have surged to 1,06,21,220 with9,489patients having recuperated in a span of 24 hours. The ministry said 79.5 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in six states.

The Union government has prioritised vaccination of 30 crore Indians, dividing them into three categories -- one crore healthcare workers, 2 crore frontline workers, and 27 crores general populace above the age of 50.

On January 3, the Drugs Controller General of India had approved 'Covishield' vaccine developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India and 'Covaxin' of Bharat Biotech for emergency use authorisation in the country.

Both vaccines have been provided in the nationwide immunisation drive, that was kicked off on January 16. Till Sunday, more than 8 million (82,85,295) doses of vaccines had been administered across India. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday that 18-19 potential vaccines against novel coronavirus were in different stages of clinical trials, adding that no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday that 18-19 potential vaccines against novel coronavirus were in different stages of clinical trials, adding that no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days. "About 18-20 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline and are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages," Vardhan said. "Some are in Phase I, some in Phase II, and a few approaching Phase III of the clinical trials. We are elated to have a huge portfolio soon," he said at a press conference here. Dispelling rumours surrounding the vaccines, Vardhan said the vaccines in the public domain are safe and effective. He said no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days, while no new cases have been reported in 21 districts in 21 days. Vardhan further urged people to keep following COVID appropriate behaviour. "It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I call social vaccine, along with real vaccines," he said. India has approved two vaccines -- Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield from the Oxford/AstraZeneca stable being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India -- for emergency use in the country. Till 8 AM on February 15, the cumulative number of healthcare workers (HCW) and frontline workers (FLW) vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country has reached nearly 83 lakh. A total 82,85,295 beneficiaries have been vaccinated through 1,73,729 sessions, as per the provisional report till 8 am. These include 59,88,113 HCWs (1st dose), 24,561 HCWs (2nd dose) and 22,72,621 FLWs (1stdose). India's cumulative recoveries have surged to 1,06,21,220 with9,489patients having recuperated in a span of 24 hours. The ministry said 79.5 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in six states. The Union government has prioritised vaccination of 30 crore Indians, dividing them into three categories -- one crore healthcare workers, 2 crore frontline workers, and 27 crores general populace above the age of 50. On January 3, the Drugs Controller General of India had approved 'Covishield' vaccine developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India and 'Covaxin' of Bharat Biotech for emergency use authorisation in the country. Both vaccines have been provided in the nationwide immunisation drive, that was kicked off on January 16. Till Sunday, more than 8 million (82,85,295) doses of vaccines had been administered across India. (With inputs from agencies)

No new cases in 188 districts in a week, 18 covid vaccine candidates in the pipeline: Health Minister

Among the passengers of the Indian Space Research Organization’s PSLV C51 rocket, slated for a February 28th launch, will be a small satellite built by a team of Indian students. SDSat or Satish Dhawan Satellite, a 30x10x10cm cuboid, is an experimental communication satellite built by Chennai-based SpaceKidz India.&nbsp;

This indigenously designed and developed miniature spacecraft is meant to test the capabilities of LoRa(Long range) technology in Space, which could prove helpful for many applications in the future in short and M2M (machine-to-machine)communication.

LoRa is a long-range, low-power wireless radio frequency technology that has become a common platform for the Internet of Things (IoT) networks worldwide.&nbsp;

According to Dr. Srimathy Kesan, Founder and CEO of SpaceKidz India, this satellite is their most ambitious yet. It is important to note that, SpaceKidz earlier satellites were maintained in orbit onboard PS4 (final and fourth stage) of the PSLV rocket for upto 6 months after launch. But SD Sat would be directly launched into orbit, remain there on its own and is expected to have a mission life of two years.&nbsp;

Besides its scientific payloads, the satellite will also carry the names of 25,000 common people and the Bhagwad Gita to space. “People, irrespective of differences follow the principles of the Gita, like ‘do your duty and leave the rest to the Almighty’ and ‘oneness is the highest form of humanity’ among others. Awe wanted to give this scripture the highest honour and we have stored it on the flash drive that is going to space” Dr. Kesan told WION.&nbsp;

While their satellite would be primarily using Frequency-shift keying (FSK) to transmit data back to earth, LoRa would be the secondary. Experimenting with LoRa would help them study the feasibility of using LoRa in ground communications for industrial purposes.&nbsp;

When asked about the idea of sending names of common people to space, she said it was an initiative to create awareness, generate curiosity and to get more people fascinated about space science, which many still perceive as inaccessible. Some schools had sent the entire name list of the students to be carried on-board, she added.&nbsp;

As a goodwill gesture, SpaceKidz team had also shared a similar Boarding pass with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when they had virtually interacted within the recent past. The satellite will also carry a picture of prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Make in India lion logo.&nbsp;

SD Sat is currently being integrated in the payload bay of the PSLV rocket, which is being prepped for launch at India’s spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

Among the passengers of the Indian Space Research Organization’s PSLV C51 rocket, slated for a February 28th launch, will be a small satellite built by a team of Indian students.

Among the passengers of the Indian Space Research Organization’s PSLV C51 rocket, slated for a February 28th launch, will be a small satellite built by a team of Indian students. SDSat or Satish Dhawan Satellite, a 30x10x10cm cuboid, is an experimental communication satellite built by Chennai-based SpaceKidz India. This indigenously designed and developed miniature spacecraft is meant to test the capabilities of LoRa(Long range) technology in Space, which could prove helpful for many applications in the future in short and M2M (machine-to-machine)communication. LoRa is a long-range, low-power wireless radio frequency technology that has become a common platform for the Internet of Things (IoT) networks worldwide. According to Dr. Srimathy Kesan, Founder and CEO of SpaceKidz India, this satellite is their most ambitious yet. It is important to note that, SpaceKidz earlier satellites were maintained in orbit onboard PS4 (final and fourth stage) of the PSLV rocket for upto 6 months after launch. But SD Sat would be directly launched into orbit, remain there on its own and is expected to have a mission life of two years. Besides its scientific payloads, the satellite will also carry the names of 25,000 common people and the Bhagwad Gita to space. “People, irrespective of differences follow the principles of the Gita, like ‘do your duty and leave the rest to the Almighty’ and ‘oneness is the highest form of humanity’ among others. Awe wanted to give this scripture the highest honour and we have stored it on the flash drive that is going to space” Dr. Kesan told WION. While their satellite would be primarily using Frequency-shift keying (FSK) to transmit data back to earth, LoRa would be the secondary. Experimenting with LoRa would help them study the feasibility of using LoRa in ground communications for industrial purposes. When asked about the idea of sending names of common people to space, she said it was an initiative to create awareness, generate curiosity and to get more people fascinated about space science, which many still perceive as inaccessible. Some schools had sent the entire name list of the students to be carried on-board, she added. As a goodwill gesture, SpaceKidz team had also shared a similar Boarding pass with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when they had virtually interacted within the recent past. The satellite will also carry a picture of prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Make in India lion logo. SD Sat is currently being integrated in the payload bay of the PSLV rocket, which is being prepped for launch at India’s spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

India’s student-built SD Sat to carry copy of Bhagwad Gita to space

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday announced that the population above 50 years of age will get start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from March onward.

“We will be in a situation to administer vaccines to those above 50 years of age in March,” he said. “It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I had called a social vaccine, along with real vaccines,” he added. He said that no new coronavirus infections were reported in 188 districts in the country during the last seven days.&nbsp;

"About 18-20 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline and are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages," Vardhan said.

He further said that India will be supplying vaccines to 20-25 other countries.

Dispelling rumours surrounding the vaccines, Vardhan said the vaccines in the public domain are safe and effective.

He said no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days, while no new cases have been reported in 21 districts in 21 days.

Vardhan further urged people to keep following COVID appropriate behaviour.

"It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I call social vaccine, along with real vaccines," he said.

India has approved two vaccines -- Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield from the Oxford/AstraZeneca stable being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India -- for emergency use in the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday announced that the population above 50 years of age will get start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from March onward.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday announced that the population above 50 years of age will get start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from March onward. “We will be in a situation to administer vaccines to those above 50 years of age in March,” he said. “It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I had called a social vaccine, along with real vaccines,” he added. He said that no new coronavirus infections were reported in 188 districts in the country during the last seven days. "About 18-20 vaccine candidates against COVID-19 are in the pipeline and are in preclinical, clinical and advanced stages," Vardhan said. He further said that India will be supplying vaccines to 20-25 other countries. Dispelling rumours surrounding the vaccines, Vardhan said the vaccines in the public domain are safe and effective. He said no new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 188 districts of the country in the last 7 days, while no new cases have been reported in 21 districts in 21 days. Vardhan further urged people to keep following COVID appropriate behaviour. "It is crucial that people continue to follow COVID appropriate behaviour which I call social vaccine, along with real vaccines," he said. India has approved two vaccines -- Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech and Covishield from the Oxford/AstraZeneca stable being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India -- for emergency use in the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Covid-19 vaccination for people above 50 years will begin from March: Harsh Vardhan 

The Serum Institute of India will ship the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Canada in less than one month, Serum's chief executive said on Monday.

"As we await regulatory approvals from Canada, I assure you, @SerumInstIndia will fly out #COVISHIELD to Canada in less than a month; I'm on it!" CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Twitter, referring to a brand name for AstraZeneca's vaccine.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Dear Hon’ble PM <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustinTrudeau</a>, I thank you for your warm words towards India and it’s vaccine industry. As we await regulatory approvals from Canada, I assure you, <a href="https://twitter.com/SerumInstIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SerumInstIndia</a> will fly out <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVISHIELD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVISHIELD</a> to Canada in less than a month; I’m on it!
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) <a href="https://twitter.com/adarpoonawalla/status/1361214744510615553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
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India boasts of several vaccine manufacturing facilities and is fast emerging as a key supplier to the world.

Canada, which has recorded more than 825,000 coronavirus cases and 21,000 deaths so far, does not yet have a vaccine manufacturing facility of its own and is reliant on foreign suppliers.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week assured Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau that India would do its best to supply Canada with the vaccines, potentially easing shortages faced in the country.

Canada has so far ordered vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

The Serum Institute of India will ship the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Canada in less than one month, Serum's chief executive said on Monday.

The Serum Institute of India will ship the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Canada in less than one month, Serum's chief executive said on Monday. "As we await regulatory approvals from Canada, I assure you, @SerumInstIndia will fly out #COVISHIELD to Canada in less than a month; I'm on it!" CEO Adar Poonawalla said on Twitter, referring to a brand name for AstraZeneca's vaccine. Dear Hon’ble PM @JustinTrudeau, I thank you for your warm words towards India and it’s vaccine industry. As we await regulatory approvals from Canada, I assure you, @SerumInstIndia will fly out #COVISHIELD to Canada in less than a month; I’m on it! — Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) February 15, 2021 × India boasts of several vaccine manufacturing facilities and is fast emerging as a key supplier to the world. Canada, which has recorded more than 825,000 coronavirus cases and 21,000 deaths so far, does not yet have a vaccine manufacturing facility of its own and is reliant on foreign suppliers. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week assured Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau that India would do its best to supply Canada with the vaccines, potentially easing shortages faced in the country. Canada has so far ordered vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

India's Serum says will ship AstraZeneca vaccine to Canada in 'less than a month'

How Rafael's RBE2 radar detects and tracks multiple targets

With a focus on peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Navy is conducting its largest biennial war games — the biennial Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 21). The exercise commenced in early January and all the operational units of the Indian Navy — ships, submarine, aircraft as well as the units of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard are taking part in it.

Being conducted over a vast geographical expanse of the Indian Ocean region, the exercises are aimed at testing the combat readiness of the Indian Navy. This especially when geopolitical changes are increasing in the region. During the "weapon work up phase" of the Tropex exercises, multiple "on target" missiles, torpedoes, and rockets were tested.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-hands-over-arjun-battle-tank-to-indian-army-363565" hreflang="en">PM Modi hands over Arjun battle tank to Indian Army</a>

Tropex has two other phases — one was coastal defense exercise "sea vigil" from January 12 to 13, which saw the participation of not only Navy but also coast guard, marine police of 13 coastal states and union territories, followed by tri-service joint amphibious exercise AMPHEX 21 which was conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands.

Meanwhile, as Tropex was on, Pakistan conducted its own naval exercises — Aman 2021 that is seen as a coup by Islamabad since it saw the attendance of 45 countries — NATO, Russia. While the exercises are also seen as a "project to build a positive image", not much is achieved on-ground as compared to Malabar exercises last year between India, Japan, Australia, and the US.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-says-it-prevented-unilateral-change-of-status-quo-at-lac-363264" hreflang="en">India says it prevented unilateral change of status quo at LAC</a>

Also, modern geopolitics has increasingly been less about who got a bigger gun. In terms of humanitarian support and deliverables, last year saw Mission Sagar by the Indian Navy providing food and medical assistance to countries in the region amid the pandemic. Mission Sagar 1 provided support to five Indian ocean island countries, while Mission Sagar 2 provided support to four East African nations and SAGAR-III to two South-East Asian nations. In addition to this, under operation Samudra Setu, India brought back 3992 Indian Nationals who were stranded globally as covid impacted global travel.

Meanwhile, on February 11, 2021, Pakistan conducted a successful Training Launch of Babur Cruise Missile IA, with a range of 450 kilometres. Babur Cruise Missile is capable of engaging targets at Land and Sea with high precision. This is the third test of nuclear-capable missiles carried out over the past three weeks. The test launch of submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) Babur comes at the time when Pakistan is hosting its multinational naval drill titled “AMAN 21”, which literally means peace.&nbsp;

With a focus on peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Navy is conducting its largest biennial war games — the biennial Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 21).

With a focus on peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Navy is conducting its largest biennial war games — the biennial Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 21). The exercise commenced in early January and all the operational units of the Indian Navy — ships, submarine, aircraft as well as the units of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Coast Guard are taking part in it. Being conducted over a vast geographical expanse of the Indian Ocean region, the exercises are aimed at testing the combat readiness of the Indian Navy. This especially when geopolitical changes are increasing in the region. During the "weapon work up phase" of the Tropex exercises, multiple "on target" missiles, torpedoes, and rockets were tested. Also read| PM Modi hands over Arjun battle tank to Indian Army Tropex has two other phases — one was coastal defense exercise "sea vigil" from January 12 to 13, which saw the participation of not only Navy but also coast guard, marine police of 13 coastal states and union territories, followed by tri-service joint amphibious exercise AMPHEX 21 which was conducted in the Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands. Meanwhile, as Tropex was on, Pakistan conducted its own naval exercises — Aman 2021 that is seen as a coup by Islamabad since it saw the attendance of 45 countries — NATO, Russia. While the exercises are also seen as a "project to build a positive image", not much is achieved on-ground as compared to Malabar exercises last year between India, Japan, Australia, and the US. Also read| India says it prevented unilateral change of status quo at LAC Also, modern geopolitics has increasingly been less about who got a bigger gun. In terms of humanitarian support and deliverables, last year saw Mission Sagar by the Indian Navy providing food and medical assistance to countries in the region amid the pandemic. Mission Sagar 1 provided support to five Indian ocean island countries, while Mission Sagar 2 provided support to four East African nations and SAGAR-III to two South-East Asian nations. In addition to this, under operation Samudra Setu, India brought back 3992 Indian Nationals who were stranded globally as covid impacted global travel. Meanwhile, on February 11, 2021, Pakistan conducted a successful Training Launch of Babur Cruise Missile IA, with a range of 450 kilometres. Babur Cruise Missile is capable of engaging targets at Land and Sea with high precision. This is the third test of nuclear-capable missiles carried out over the past three weeks. The test launch of submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) Babur comes at the time when Pakistan is hosting its multinational naval drill titled “AMAN 21”, which literally means peace.

With focus on peace in Indian Ocean, navy conducts largest war games

India: A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJ), SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said that while the tech giant may be a company with deep coffers but people value their privacy more than money.

'You may be a trillion dollar company but...': Supreme Court of India to WhatsApp

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his condolences for the loss of lives in a road mishap in Andhra Pradesh`s Kurnool district and wished a speedy recovery for the people injured in the accident.

"The road accident in Andhra Pradesh`s Kurnool district is saddening. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. I hope that the injured recover at the earliest," the Prime Minister tweeted today.

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The road accident in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district is saddening. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. I hope that the injured recover at the earliest: PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/1360816753140510721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In a major road accident, 13 persons were killed and four were injured in a collision between a bus and a truck in the district on Sunday.

The incident took place at 3.30 am near Madarpur village in Veldurti Mandal of Kurnool district. Earlier today, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had expressed deep sorrow for the loss of human life in the road mishap.

The Chief Minister instructed the concerned officials to expedite relief work and medical help, conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members, and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.

The injured are undergoing treatment at Kurnool Government General Hospital, the police had said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his condolences for the loss of lives in a road mishap in Andhra Pradesh`s Kurnool district and wished a speedy recovery for the people injured in the accident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his condolences for the loss of lives in a road mishap in Andhra Pradesh`s Kurnool district and wished a speedy recovery for the people injured in the accident. "The road accident in Andhra Pradesh`s Kurnool district is saddening. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. I hope that the injured recover at the earliest," the Prime Minister tweeted today. The road accident in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district is saddening. In this hour of sadness, my thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. I hope that the injured recover at the earliest: PM @narendramodi — PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 14, 2021 × In a major road accident, 13 persons were killed and four were injured in a collision between a bus and a truck in the district on Sunday. The incident took place at 3.30 am near Madarpur village in Veldurti Mandal of Kurnool district. Earlier today, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had expressed deep sorrow for the loss of human life in the road mishap. The Chief Minister instructed the concerned officials to expedite relief work and medical help, conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members, and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. The injured are undergoing treatment at Kurnool Government General Hospital, the police had said.

PM Modi condoles loss of lives in road accident in Andhra's Kurnool

A while ago, a group of general physicians in the UK claimed that common cold symptoms should not be taken for granted, instead treated as a sign of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a>. But there is a divergent view, the President of AIIMS, Bhopal and Jammu, Y.K. Gupta told IANS that cough, fever and common cold cannot be 100 per cent termed as signs of coronavirus. 
 
Reportedly, 140 east London general practitioners (GPs) and health care professionals had written and signed an open letter to chief medical officer Chris Whitty and Susan Hopkins of Public Health England, claiming that patients usually experience typical symptoms of common cold like sore throat, a runny nose and headaches before testing positive for coronavirus. Gupta, who was former Dean (Academics), and ex-Head, Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS New Delhi, said: "Common cold cannot be 100 per cent sign of coronavirus. Most common cold viral infections are on decline, but that does not mean that people should drop their guard. It is essential to wear mask and maintain social distancing."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-kent-variant-will-sweep-the-world-says-top-genome-sequencing-expert-362820" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Kent variant will 'sweep the world', says top genome sequencing expert</a> 
 
As the spurt of Covid cases begins to taper, Gupta cautioned though there has been a decline in the Covid cases recently, but this does not mean that danger is over. He stressed the factors contributing towards the decline in cases and deaths could be the ongoing vaccination drive and the intrinsic immunity of people in the country. "A large population has already been infected, which sub clinically may contribute to decline. The pathogenicity of this is decreasing maybe", he said. 
 
On the aspect of increasing numbers in western countries and consistent decline in cases in India, Gupta indicated that this is perhaps due to a higher immunity of the Indian population towards the virus than western population, but there is not sufficient data to establish this. 
 
People who got vaccinated after contracting Covid-19 have developed some health issues. Does it have a potential to become a lasting health problem? Gupta replied that it may be a residual health problem and not vaccine residual side-effect, in fact after vaccination allergic reaction does not last for more than two days. 
 
When queried, has he come across any safety issues associated with Covaxin in any particular age group, especially senior citizen, or people with comorbidities so far, Gupta said nothing so far, because data is not fully available and added that data regarding the Phase 3 trial of Covaxin may be available by March end, which would establish its efficacy.

A while ago, a group of general physicians in the UK claimed that common cold symptoms should not be taken for granted, instead treated as a sign of coronavirus.

A while ago, a group of general physicians in the UK claimed that common cold symptoms should not be taken for granted, instead treated as a sign of coronavirus. But there is a divergent view, the President of AIIMS, Bhopal and Jammu, Y.K. Gupta told IANS that cough, fever and common cold cannot be 100 per cent termed as signs of coronavirus. Reportedly, 140 east London general practitioners (GPs) and health care professionals had written and signed an open letter to chief medical officer Chris Whitty and Susan Hopkins of Public Health England, claiming that patients usually experience typical symptoms of common cold like sore throat, a runny nose and headaches before testing positive for coronavirus. Gupta, who was former Dean (Academics), and ex-Head, Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS New Delhi, said: "Common cold cannot be 100 per cent sign of coronavirus. Most common cold viral infections are on decline, but that does not mean that people should drop their guard. It is essential to wear mask and maintain social distancing." Also read| Coronavirus: Kent variant will 'sweep the world', says top genome sequencing expert As the spurt of Covid cases begins to taper, Gupta cautioned though there has been a decline in the Covid cases recently, but this does not mean that danger is over. He stressed the factors contributing towards the decline in cases and deaths could be the ongoing vaccination drive and the intrinsic immunity of people in the country. "A large population has already been infected, which sub clinically may contribute to decline. The pathogenicity of this is decreasing maybe", he said. On the aspect of increasing numbers in western countries and consistent decline in cases in India, Gupta indicated that this is perhaps due to a higher immunity of the Indian population towards the virus than western population, but there is not sufficient data to establish this. People who got vaccinated after contracting Covid-19 have developed some health issues. Does it have a potential to become a lasting health problem? Gupta replied that it may be a residual health problem and not vaccine residual side-effect, in fact after vaccination allergic reaction does not last for more than two days. When queried, has he come across any safety issues associated with Covaxin in any particular age group, especially senior citizen, or people with comorbidities so far, Gupta said nothing so far, because data is not fully available and added that data regarding the Phase 3 trial of Covaxin may be available by March end, which would establish its efficacy.

Common cold can't be termed as sign of coronavirus: AIIMS

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that lost 40 troopers in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack said on Sunday that the country "did not forgive" and "will not forget" the supreme sacrifice made by the personnel.

A wreath-laying ceremony was held at CRPF camp in Lethpora in Jammu and Kashmir to mark the second anniversary of the deadly attack.

Senior officers of the paramilitary based at its headquarters in Delhi participated in the event in the virtual mode, CRPF spokesperson deputy inspector general (DIG) Moses Dhinakaran said.

"Did not Forgive, will not Forget: Salute to our brothers who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation in #PulwamaAttack.

"Indebted, we stand with the families of our valiant Bravehearts," the force said in a Twitter post.

Soon after the Pulwama attack, the Indian Air Force had carried out an airstrike in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, 2019, targeting terrorist camps. 
CRPF Director General A P Maheshwari also unveiled a video book dedicated to the 40 personnel killed in the line of duty.

"We have inherited bravery which flows like blood in our veins," he was quoted as saying by the spokesperson.

"The video book has a content of 80 episodes and 300 minutes. A copy of the book will also be sent to the families of each of the personnel killed in the Pulwama suicide bombing attack," Dhinakaran said.

A CRPF bus in the fifth position of a 78-vehicle convoy was targeted by a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber who detonated his explosives-laden SUV near it on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Pulwama on February 14, 2019.

The convoy was ferrying over 2,500 personnel and all 39 in the ill-fated bus and a sub-officer stationed on the ground, as part of a road sanitisation party, were killed in the blast.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that lost 40 troopers in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack said on Sunday that the country "did not forgive" and "will not forget" the supreme sacrifice made by the personnel.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that lost 40 troopers in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack said on Sunday that the country "did not forgive" and "will not forget" the supreme sacrifice made by the personnel. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at CRPF camp in Lethpora in Jammu and Kashmir to mark the second anniversary of the deadly attack. Senior officers of the paramilitary based at its headquarters in Delhi participated in the event in the virtual mode, CRPF spokesperson deputy inspector general (DIG) Moses Dhinakaran said. "Did not Forgive, will not Forget: Salute to our brothers who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation in #PulwamaAttack. "Indebted, we stand with the families of our valiant Bravehearts," the force said in a Twitter post. Soon after the Pulwama attack, the Indian Air Force had carried out an airstrike in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, 2019, targeting terrorist camps. CRPF Director General A P Maheshwari also unveiled a video book dedicated to the 40 personnel killed in the line of duty. "We have inherited bravery which flows like blood in our veins," he was quoted as saying by the spokesperson. "The video book has a content of 80 episodes and 300 minutes. A copy of the book will also be sent to the families of each of the personnel killed in the Pulwama suicide bombing attack," Dhinakaran said. A CRPF bus in the fifth position of a 78-vehicle convoy was targeted by a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) suicide bomber who detonated his explosives-laden SUV near it on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Pulwama on February 14, 2019. The convoy was ferrying over 2,500 personnel and all 39 in the ill-fated bus and a sub-officer stationed on the ground, as part of a road sanitisation party, were killed in the blast.

Did not forgive, will not forget: CRPF on Pulwama terror attack anniversary

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank Mark 1A to the Indian Army and said India believes in peace but will protect its sovereignty at all costs.

Indian Army gets Made-In-India battle tank

Mexico has received a shipment of 870,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine from India, the government said on Sunday.

The shipment amounts to about 42 per cent of the two million doses of the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine the country plans to import from India.

Mexico is also expecting shipments of Pfizer's vaccine to resume, with 494,000 doses due to arrive on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told a news conference.

Mexico and Argentina have an agreement with AstraZeneca to produce the vaccine for eventual distribution of 250 million doses in Latin America.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mexico-to-receive-1-million-doses-of-india-made-covid-vaccine-362890">Also read |&nbsp;Mexico to receive 1 million doses of India-made Covid vaccine</a>

Mexico, which has one of the world's highest coronavirus death tolls, started vaccinating healthcare workers in December but struggled to hit its targets amid global shortages and delays of Pfizer's vaccine.

The country has so far received just 1,636,350 vaccine doses, according to government data, but has agreements for millions more, including for China's CanSino and the Russian Sputnik V.

Mexico will next vaccinate adults over the age of 60.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-sends-covid-vaccines-to-caribbean-up-next-mexico-362734">Also read |&nbsp;India sends Covid vaccines to Caribbean, up next Mexico</a>

Mexico has received a shipment of 870,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine from India, the government said on Sunday. The shipment amounts to about 42 per cent of the two million doses of the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine the country plans to import from India.

Mexico has received a shipment of 870,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine from India, the government said on Sunday. The shipment amounts to about 42 per cent of the two million doses of the AstraZeneca and Oxford University vaccine the country plans to import from India. Mexico is also expecting shipments of Pfizer's vaccine to resume, with 494,000 doses due to arrive on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told a news conference. Mexico and Argentina have an agreement with AstraZeneca to produce the vaccine for eventual distribution of 250 million doses in Latin America. Also read | Mexico to receive 1 million doses of India-made Covid vaccine Mexico, which has one of the world's highest coronavirus death tolls, started vaccinating healthcare workers in December but struggled to hit its targets amid global shortages and delays of Pfizer's vaccine. The country has so far received just 1,636,350 vaccine doses, according to government data, but has agreements for millions more, including for China's CanSino and the Russian Sputnik V. Mexico will next vaccinate adults over the age of 60. Also read | India sends Covid vaccines to Caribbean, up next Mexico

Mexico receives AstraZeneca doses from India

A court in India's capital New Delhi has remanded a 21-year-old climate activist to 5-day police custody. Disha Ravi, a climate activist was arrested in India's Bengaluru city for allegedly spreading a toolkit related to the farmers protest in the country.

Climate activist arrested in India for allegedly spreading a toolkit

A group of foreign envoys are expected to visit the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the 17th of this month. The visit, which is still in the planning stage, will focus on the progress made on the ground in the aftermath of the removal of special status for the region in 2019.

This will be the 3rd such visit of envoys to the Union Territory in the last one year. India had taken a group in January, and another group in February of 2020. During that visit, the envoys had met locals, as well as top administrative leadership of the union territory.

The visit comes even as 4G speed internet has been restored in the union territory. The internet was restored after a gap of 18 months. The decision was welcomed by the U.S. State Department.

The U.S. State Department in a tweet said, "We welcome the resumption of 4G mobile internet in India's Jammu &amp; Kashmir. This marks an important step for local residents and we look forward to continued political &amp; economic progress to restore normalcy in J&amp;K."

The focus will also be on how grassroots democracy has taken root in the union territory particularly after the recent DDC elections.

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We welcome the resumption of 4G mobile internet in India's Jammu &amp; Kashmir. This marks an important step for local residents and we look forward to continued political &amp; economic progress to restore normalcy in J&amp;K.
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In the last one year, India has been reaching out to the diplomatic community in Delhi to showcase its Covid action plan as well. Last year more than 50 envoys based in Delhi were taken to the southern Indian city of Hyderabad to show India's pharma plants where Covid vaccines are being manufactured. New Delhi has invited the diplomatic community to take part in its vaccination program as well and has got an enthusiastic response. 3000 foreign diplomats and their families have accepted the invite to get vaccinated. 
&nbsp;

A group of foreign envoys are expected to visit the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the 17th of this month. The visit, which is still in the planning stage, will focus on the progress made on the ground in the aftermath of the removal of special status for the region in 2019.

A group of foreign envoys are expected to visit the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on the 17th of this month. The visit, which is still in the planning stage, will focus on the progress made on the ground in the aftermath of the removal of special status for the region in 2019. This will be the 3rd such visit of envoys to the Union Territory in the last one year. India had taken a group in January, and another group in February of 2020. During that visit, the envoys had met locals, as well as top administrative leadership of the union territory. The visit comes even as 4G speed internet has been restored in the union territory. The internet was restored after a gap of 18 months. The decision was welcomed by the U.S. State Department. The U.S. State Department in a tweet said, "We welcome the resumption of 4G mobile internet in India's Jammu & Kashmir. This marks an important step for local residents and we look forward to continued political & economic progress to restore normalcy in J&K." The focus will also be on how grassroots democracy has taken root in the union territory particularly after the recent DDC elections. We welcome the resumption of 4G mobile internet in India's Jammu & Kashmir. This marks an important step for local residents and we look forward to continued political & economic progress to restore normalcy in J&K. — State_SCA (@State_SCA) February 10, 2021 × In the last one year, India has been reaching out to the diplomatic community in Delhi to showcase its Covid action plan as well. Last year more than 50 envoys based in Delhi were taken to the southern Indian city of Hyderabad to show India's pharma plants where Covid vaccines are being manufactured. New Delhi has invited the diplomatic community to take part in its vaccination program as well and has got an enthusiastic response. 3000 foreign diplomats and their families have accepted the invite to get vaccinated.

As 4G gets restored, foreign envoys expected to visit J&K

Rescuers pulled out nine more bodies from the site of a flash flood in a Himalayan region of northern India on Sunday, a week after the disaster struck, bringing the death toll to 50 with more than 150 people still missing, officials said.

The flash flood in Uttarakhand state, triggered by what scientists said could have been a large avalanche of glacier ice, sent water, rocks and debris surging down the Dhauliganga river valley, destroying dams and bridges.

Rescuers are using heavy digging machinery in race to free dozens of dam construction workers trapped in an underground tunnel connected to a hydroelectric project being built by the government-owned National Thermal Power Corporation.

"We have not lost all hope yet. We hope to find more survivors," the top government official in the region, Swati Bhadoriya told Reuters.

Authorities said 154 people were still missing.

Experts have cautioned there could still be huge amounts of rock, debris, ice and water that could be dislodged, making rescue efforts risky.

Uttarakhand is prone to flash floods and landslides. The disaster has prompted calls by environmental groups for a review of power projects in the ecologically sensitive mountains.

A team of scientists are investigating if a piece of a Himalayan glacier did fall into the water and trigger the flood.

There are about 10,000 glaciers in the Indian Himalayas. Uttarakhand itself has up to 1,495 glaciers and many are receding due to the warming climate.

Rescuers pulled out nine more bodies from the site of a flash flood in a Himalayan region of northern India on Sunday, a week after the disaster struck, bringing the death toll to 50 with more than 150 people still missing, officials said.

Rescuers pulled out nine more bodies from the site of a flash flood in a Himalayan region of northern India on Sunday, a week after the disaster struck, bringing the death toll to 50 with more than 150 people still missing, officials said. The flash flood in Uttarakhand state, triggered by what scientists said could have been a large avalanche of glacier ice, sent water, rocks and debris surging down the Dhauliganga river valley, destroying dams and bridges. Rescuers are using heavy digging machinery in race to free dozens of dam construction workers trapped in an underground tunnel connected to a hydroelectric project being built by the government-owned National Thermal Power Corporation. "We have not lost all hope yet. We hope to find more survivors," the top government official in the region, Swati Bhadoriya told Reuters. Authorities said 154 people were still missing. Experts have cautioned there could still be huge amounts of rock, debris, ice and water that could be dislodged, making rescue efforts risky. Uttarakhand is prone to flash floods and landslides. The disaster has prompted calls by environmental groups for a review of power projects in the ecologically sensitive mountains. A team of scientists are investigating if a piece of a Himalayan glacier did fall into the water and trigger the flood. There are about 10,000 glaciers in the Indian Himalayas. Uttarakhand itself has up to 1,495 glaciers and many are receding due to the warming climate.

Himalayan rescuers recover more bodies as flash flood death toll rises to 50

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank Mark 1A to the Indian Army here and said India believes in peace but will protect its sovereignty at all costs.

Modi handed over the tank to Army Chief General M.M. Naravane.

He accepted a salute by the state-of-the-art tank, indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by the Defence Research and Development Organisation`s Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment here.

Fifteen academic institutions, eight labs and several MSMEs were also involved in the project. The Defence Ministry had recently cleared the induction of 118 Arjun Mark 1A tanks into the Indian Army, costing around Rs 8,400 crore.

Modi said that Tamil Nadu is already a leading manufacturing hub of India and now he sees the state evolving as the tank manufacturing hub.

Stating that one of the two defence corridors is in Tamil Nadu, Modi said it already received an investment commitment of over Rs 8,100 crore.

"A tank made in Tamil Nadu will be used to defend our borders in northern India. This shows the united nature of India," he said. Modi said India believes in peace but it will protect its sovereignty at all costs. He recited Bharatiyar poem in Tamil to highlight the importance of defence projects in the country.

Modi also paid homage to CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the terror attack at Pulwama two years ago. "No Indian can forget this day. We pay homage to all the martyrs we lost in that attack," he said.

He also mentioned about the support provided to displaced Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Tamil fishermen captured by Sri Lanka. He declared that there are currently no fishermen in Sri Lankan custody.

Later, at a programme held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Prime Minister either inaugurated or laid the foundation stone for a slew of infrastructure projects.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam felicitated Modi, who also paid tributes to late Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi.

Modi, who began his speech in English by greeting people with `Vanakkam Chennai`, praised the enthusiasm of the city.

"Chennai is full of energy and enthusiasm. It is a city of knowledge and creativity. From here, we begin key infrastructure projects. These projects are symbols of innovation and indigenous development," he said.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crore and flagged off passenger services from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar. He noted that the work was completed on time despite the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the material for the 9.05-km stretch was procured locally and supports his idea of `Aatmanirbhar Bharat`.

Modi also inaugurated 22-km fourth railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. It will be an additional track to Thiruvallur districts meant to ease traffic from Chennai Port.

Railway Electrification of single line section in Villupuram - Cuddalore - Mayiladuthurai - Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur completed at a cost of Rs 423 crore was launched by Modi. He said this will be a great boon to delta districts. The electrification of this 228-km route will enable free flow of traffic without the need for a change of traction between Chennai Egmore and Kanyakumari.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Discovery Campus of IIT-Madras. The campus is to be built at Thaiyur near Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore in the first phase, over an area of 2 lakh sqm. He exuded confidence that it will very soon be the leading centre of discovery and draw the best talent from all over India.

The Prime Minister also laid foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Grand Anicut Canal System, which is an important source of irrigation in the delta districts. The modernisation of this canal system will be taken up at a cost of Rs 2,640 crore.

He recited a poem on the importance of conserving water, and said that the aim is to maximise each drop of water available. "Always remember the mantra of per drop, more crop," he said adding that conservation of water is a global issue.

Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam welcomed Modi and thanked him for the interest he has taken in the progress of the state. He praised the Prime Minister`s work ethic and referred to his recent emotional speech in the Rajya Sabha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank Mark 1A to the Indian Army here and said India believes in peace but will protect its sovereignty at all costs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday handed over the indigenously developed Arjun Main Battle Tank Mark 1A to the Indian Army here and said India believes in peace but will protect its sovereignty at all costs. Modi handed over the tank to Army Chief General M.M. Naravane. He accepted a salute by the state-of-the-art tank, indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by the Defence Research and Development Organisation`s Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment here. Fifteen academic institutions, eight labs and several MSMEs were also involved in the project. The Defence Ministry had recently cleared the induction of 118 Arjun Mark 1A tanks into the Indian Army, costing around Rs 8,400 crore. Modi said that Tamil Nadu is already a leading manufacturing hub of India and now he sees the state evolving as the tank manufacturing hub. Stating that one of the two defence corridors is in Tamil Nadu, Modi said it already received an investment commitment of over Rs 8,100 crore. "A tank made in Tamil Nadu will be used to defend our borders in northern India. This shows the united nature of India," he said. Modi said India believes in peace but it will protect its sovereignty at all costs. He recited Bharatiyar poem in Tamil to highlight the importance of defence projects in the country. Modi also paid homage to CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the terror attack at Pulwama two years ago. "No Indian can forget this day. We pay homage to all the martyrs we lost in that attack," he said. He also mentioned about the support provided to displaced Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Tamil fishermen captured by Sri Lanka. He declared that there are currently no fishermen in Sri Lankan custody. Later, at a programme held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Prime Minister either inaugurated or laid the foundation stone for a slew of infrastructure projects. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam felicitated Modi, who also paid tributes to late Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa and M. Karunanidhi. Modi, who began his speech in English by greeting people with `Vanakkam Chennai`, praised the enthusiasm of the city. "Chennai is full of energy and enthusiasm. It is a city of knowledge and creativity. From here, we begin key infrastructure projects. These projects are symbols of innovation and indigenous development," he said. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crore and flagged off passenger services from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar. He noted that the work was completed on time despite the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the material for the 9.05-km stretch was procured locally and supports his idea of `Aatmanirbhar Bharat`. Modi also inaugurated 22-km fourth railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. It will be an additional track to Thiruvallur districts meant to ease traffic from Chennai Port. Railway Electrification of single line section in Villupuram - Cuddalore - Mayiladuthurai - Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai-Thiruvarur completed at a cost of Rs 423 crore was launched by Modi. He said this will be a great boon to delta districts. The electrification of this 228-km route will enable free flow of traffic without the need for a change of traction between Chennai Egmore and Kanyakumari. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Discovery Campus of IIT-Madras. The campus is to be built at Thaiyur near Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore in the first phase, over an area of 2 lakh sqm. He exuded confidence that it will very soon be the leading centre of discovery and draw the best talent from all over India. The Prime Minister also laid foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernisation of the Grand Anicut Canal System, which is an important source of irrigation in the delta districts. The modernisation of this canal system will be taken up at a cost of Rs 2,640 crore. He recited a poem on the importance of conserving water, and said that the aim is to maximise each drop of water available. "Always remember the mantra of per drop, more crop," he said adding that conservation of water is a global issue. Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam welcomed Modi and thanked him for the interest he has taken in the progress of the state. He praised the Prime Minister`s work ethic and referred to his recent emotional speech in the Rajya Sabha.

PM Modi hands over Arjun battle tank to Indian Army

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