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At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
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Day: December 18, 2025

Scindia reviews Matabari tourism circuit development in Tripura

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Agartala: Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on Thursday chaired a review meeting to assess progress on the Matabari Tourism Circuit in Tripura. The meeting was attended by Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, along with Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for MDoNER, the Secretary of MDoNER, and senior officials from both the central ministry and the Tripura government.

Discussions focused on shaping the Matabari circuit into a model tourism destination, with a strong emphasis on capacity building and community participation. The meeting underlined the need to ensure that local communities are actively involved in tourism activities and are able to derive long-term livelihood opportunities from the sector, according to an official statement.

Scindia highlighted the importance of involving Tripura’s historians in the tourism development process. He suggested that they play a key role in training tourist guides and support staff, enabling them to share authentic and well-researched narratives of the State’s history. He stressed that this knowledge-sharing framework should be institutionalised, combining traditional expertise with contemporary training methods.

In a post on X, he said: “Led by PM @narendramodi ji and with the relentless efforts of CM @DrManikSaha2 ji, this initiative paves the path to make Tripura a premier global tourism destination and a model for the Northeast.”

The deliberations also noted that Tripura’s unique appeal lies in preserving its historical legacy while integrating it with modern infrastructure. Development under the Matabari circuit, it was agreed, should reflect the State’s heritage through thoughtful design and soft aesthetics, while following an organic and environmentally sensitive approach. Promoting traditional Tripura cuisine was identified as a crucial element of enhancing the overall visitor experience.

Air power decisive in modern warfare: Rajnath Singh

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New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the government is actively partnering with the private sector, including start-ups and micro, small, and medium enterprises, to accelerate the modernisation of the country’s Armed Forces. He noted that initiatives such as iDEX and ADITI are aimed at drawing young innovators into defence manufacturing and strengthening indigenous capabilities.

Addressing the Air Force Commanders’ Conclave in New Delhi, the minister described the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a technologically advanced, operationally agile, strategically confident, and future-ready force that continues to safeguard national interests amid a rapidly changing global security environment.

“India’s high-impact, short-duration operational capability was demonstrated during by the Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor,” he noted.

He commended the IAF, speed and precision displayed during the operation, particularly in destroying terror camps, and for effectively dealing with what he termed the “irresponsible reaction” from Pakistan following the strikes, according to an official statement. Referring to public confidence in the Armed Forces, especially in the country’s air defence systems, he said: “Usually, when the enemy attacks, people hide. But when the Pakistani forces tried to target Indian installations, the people of India remained calm and continued with their daily routines. This is the proof of the trust of every Indian in our operational preparedness”.

Speaking on the evolving character of modern warfare, Rajnath said recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Balakot air strikes, and Operation Sindoor, underline the growing decisiveness of air power. He emphasised that air power has moved beyond being merely a tactical resource and has become a key strategic instrument, with speed, surprise, and shock as its defining strengths.

“Air power gives any leadership the capability to deliver a clear strategic message to the adversary that every step will be taken to uphold national interests. Through speed, reach, and precision, air power has become an effective tool for aligning the nation’s objectives with military means,” he pointed out.

INAS 335 ‘Ospreys’ commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa

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Goa: INAS 335, known as ‘The Ospreys’, the Indian Navy’s second air squadron equipped with MH-60R helicopters, was formally commissioned at INS Hansa in Goa on Wednesday. The ceremony was led by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and marked a major milestone in strengthening naval aviation capabilities.

The MH-60R helicopter is a multi-role, all-weather platform capable of operating both day and night. It is designed to undertake missions such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and vertical replenishment. The induction of these helicopters is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s aviation and operational reach along the western seaboard.

The induction of INAS 335 comes after the commissioning of the Navy’s first MH-60R squadron at Kochi, Kerala, in March 2024. Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, was present at the event, according to an official release.

During the ceremony, the Commissioning Warrant of the squadron was read out by Captain Dhirender Bisht, the unit’s Commanding Officer. The Commissioning Plaque was unveiled by Mrs Laila Swaminathan, President of the NWWA Western Region. A traditional water cannon salute was accorded to commemorate the occasion.

Senior naval leadership, including Vice Admiral Rahul Vilas Gokhale, Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ajay D Theophilus, Flag Officer Commanding Goa Naval Area and Flag Officer Naval Aviation, and former Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh (Retd), attended the commissioning along with veterans and guests.

Indian football ecosystem in jeopardy: Sandesh Jhingan

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New Delhi: Sandesh Jhingan, captain of the Indian men’s football team, said on Wednesday that the country’s football ecosystem is in jeopardy. He noted that Indian football is currently going through one of its most challenging phases.

Without naming Lionel Messi, whose three-day tour triggered massive public frenzy in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, Jhingan remarked that there is little willingness to invest in football within India, even as crores of rupees were spent on the tour.

In a lengthy Instagram post, he said: “Now that the euphoria of the past few days of the entire country suddenly embracing football has settled somewhat, I felt compelled to share my thoughts. First and foremost, it genuinely made me happy to see that our country does love football, that it can fill stadiums to full capacity, and that people are willing to spend lakhs to witness the sport.”

In the same post, he added: “What troubles me, however, and leaves me deeply reflective, is that at a time when our own football ecosystem is in jeopardy, arguably facing one of its most difficult phases, we stand on the brink of having no active domestic football ahead of us. It feels as though we are close to shutting everything down because there is no willingness to invest in football within India, yet crores were spent on this tour.”

Jhingan’s post further said: “I am aware of the criticism that comes our way, and I accept responsibility for performances. But football does not exist in isolation. Anyone who truly understands the game knows how profoundly structure, stability, and belief influence what ultimately happens on the pitch.”

Student death at KISS: Police say murder, not accident

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Bhubaneswar: The death of a Class 9 student at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar has taken a significant turn, with police on Wednesday stating that the boy was allegedly killed by three of his classmates following an altercation over spilt dal. This finding contradicts the institute’s initial claim that the student died after slipping in a hostel bathroom.

Addressing the media, Bhubaneswar Commissioner of Police Suresh Devdutt Singh said that eight KISS officials have been arrested. They are accused of intimidating and threatening minor witnesses and attempting to conceal both the crime and key evidence.

Three juveniles have also been apprehended in connection with the case and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board in Khurda district. They have since been sent to a correctional home.

The victim, 14-year-old Siba Munda from Tikargumura village in Keonjhar district, died on December 12 while undergoing treatment at KIMS Medical College and Hospital in Bhubaneswar, according to media reports. In the aftermath of his death, family members staged a protest outside the Keonjhar collectorate, accusing the residential school authorities of suppressing information and failing to share medical records clarifying the cause of death.

In his complaint to the police, the boy’s father, Raghunath Munda, stated that KISS officials had contacted him on Friday morning and informed him that his son had fallen ill and was admitted to the hospital.

According to a police officer familiar with the investigation, the post-mortem examination revealed injuries consistent with homicidal violence, ruling out the possibility of an accidental fall as previously suggested by the institution.

Badminton: Satwik-Chirag exit World Tour Finals after semi-final loss

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Hangzhou, China: India’s top men’s doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, saw their campaign at the BWF World Tour Finals come to an end after a semi-final defeat to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang on Saturday.

The Indian duo made a strong start by taking the opening game comfortably, but were unable to sustain the momentum as the Chinese pair staged a comeback to win the contest 10-21, 21-17, 21-13. The semi-final lasted one hour and three minutes.

Satwik and Chirag had earlier defeated the same opponents during the group stage of the season-ending tournament, but Liang and Wang produced a more composed performance in the knockout round to reverse the result.

Despite finishing the group stage unbeaten, the loss denied the Indian pair a historic opportunity to become the first Indian men’s doubles team to advance to the final of the prestigious World Tour Finals.