Current Events :
To ensure better facilities for defence veterans and their families, a Raksha Pension Samadhan Aayojan (RPSA) was conducted at Nabha. The outreach programme was organised by the Airawat Division with the primary objective of addressing and resolving pension-related grievances of defence pensioners, including veterans of the Indian Army and their eligible family pensioners.
It witnessed enthusiastic participation from a large number of ex-servicemen, widows and dependents from Nabha and surrounding areas. One of the defining features of the programme was the presence of representatives from all key agencies involved in defence pension administration, to ensure on the spot resolution of anomalies and effective guidance on complex pension matters.
These included officials from the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions), representatives of Pension Disbursing Banks, Record Offices of the Army and representatives of Veterans Welfare Sewa Kendra.
Majority of pension cases were resolved immediately and balance pending issues were intimated with clear timelines and follow-up mechanisms.
Special emphasis was laid on addressing the concerns of Veer Naris and widows.
An interactive session was held, allowing veterans to share their experiences and provide feedback on pension-related processes.
A paragliding accident at the world-famous Bir Billing paragliding site in Kangra district on Friday claimed the life of a pilot after his paraglider reportedly malfunctioned shortly after take-off, raising serious concerns over safety standards and emergency response arrangements at the popular adventure tourism destination.
According to Anurag Sharma, president of the Bir Billing Paragliding Association, the pilot took off from the Billing take-off point with a tourist seated in tandem when the glider suddenly developed a technical fault mid-air. This caused the paraglider to lose balance and crash near the road below the take-off site, leaving the pilot critically injured. The tourist accompanying him also sustained injuries though his condition is stated to be stable.
The deceased pilot has been identified as Mohan Singh, a resident of Barot in Mandi district, who was considered an experienced flyer and had been associated with paragliding operations in the region for several years.
Local residents, fellow pilots and rescue workers rushed to the spot and immediately shifted both the injured pilot and the tourist to the Civil Hospital at Baijnath. Due to the critical nature of Mohan Singh’s injuries, doctors referred him to Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, for advanced treatment. However, the ambulance carrying him was caught in a traffic jam in Baijnath, delaying the transfer by nearly an hour. Mohan Singh succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. The traffic congestion following the accident led to disruption on the Baijnath–Palampur road for about an hour.
Confirming the incident, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Baijnath Sankalp Gautam said the administration had received information about the accident soon after take-off and that the tourist flying with the pilot was out of danger. “The matter is being looked into and all necessary procedures are being followed,” he said.
After Russia unleashed a fresh wave of strikes on Kyiv and nearby regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called Russian leader Vladimir Putin a “man of war”.
Speaking in Halifax, Nova Scotia, alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Zelensky linked the prolonged assault to Russia’s intentions, a day before his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Florida.
“We want peace,” Zelensky said. “And he’s a man of war.”
Zelensky made a stop in Canada as he prepared for talks with Trump on Sunday in Florida, where he is expected to present a 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the nearly four-year-long conflict. Trump has earlier stated that any peace proposal would require his “approval”.
During his stopover, Zelensky held discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as well as leaders from NATO and the European Union.
He urged strong positions on both the battlefield and the diplomatic front to stop Putin from manipulating and evading a real and just end to the war.
Following the meetings, Zelensky wrote in a post on X, “Strong positions are needed both at the front and in diplomacy to prevent Putin from manipulating and evading a real and just end to the war. The world has sufficient strength to guarantee security and peace.”
The remarks came hours after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and surrounding regions, killing at least two people and injuring four others.
Zelensky alleged that Russia fired more than 500 drones and over 40 missiles during the attack.
According to CNN, the assault lasted more than 10 hours, disrupting daily life in Kyiv and causing widespread power outages that lasted for several hours
27 Dec -13 Poh Samvat Vikram 1761.
Shaheedi Divas Chote Sahibzade
Finally, young Sahibzadas were brought for bricking alive in a wall. The brave sons raised Jaikaras and fearlessly faced the ordeal.
As the wall reached head height, Sahibzadas fell unconscious.
The wall on completion fell, Sahibzadas were still alive. Wazir Khan ordered that their throats be slit with knife by the process of Zibah.
It’s mentioned that Baba Zorawar Singh passed away instantly, however mortal remains of Baba Fateh Singh took some time to go still. Thus the young children stood by their faith till their end.
Mata Gujri ji also passed away in Thanda Burj the same day.
Thus a saga of unparalleled bravery and sacrifice came to an end. The mortal remains were disposed off in near by Jungle which had carnivorous wild animals.💐
48 Hours after the sacrifice, Diwan Todar Mal, a Shardalu of Guru ji arranged cremation after buying land from the Subedar, at an exorbitant price by paying vertically standing Gold Ashrafis over the piece of land.
Presently Fatehgarh Sahib Gurudwara stands at the bricking site and Gurudwara Joyti Swarup stands at the Cremation site.
Guru ji from Machiwara went Westwards towards Kot Kapura and then Muktsar.
Imperial Forces still chasing.
After the rear guard Battle of Muktsar by 40 Muktas, Imperial Forces retreated and Guru ji went Southwards to Talwandi Sabo near Bathinda. It is one of the Five Takhts of Sikh Panth. Also known as Guru Ki Kashi.
5 years down the line in 1710 AD, Baba Banda Singh Bahadur after collecting motley peasant Army, defeated and killed Wazir khan at Battle of Chappar Chiri near Mohali. Two days later he ransacked Sirhind, and killed Diwan Sucha Nand. The Khalsa flag was hoisted and the place was named Fatehgarh Sahib.
A 328 feet high Fateh Burj now stands at the site of the Battle near Mohali.
🌹🌸🙏🌸🌹⚔️(Concluded)
A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Army, who was killed in a firing incident inside a military camp in Samba district, was cremated with full military honours at his native village in Reasi district on Thursday, officials said.
The JCO, Subedar Surjeet Singh, was killed in what the Army termed a firing incident at a camp in Samba. There are reports suggesting that the killing may have occurred due to a fratricide incident, but the Army has yet to issue an official statement in this regard.
A pall of gloom descended on Sarla village as the mortal remains of the JCO were brought to his home, where senior Army, police, and civil officers laid wreaths on his coffin, officials said. Thousands of people from various parts of the district thronged the village, joined the funeral procession, and raised slogans in praise of the officer, the Army, and the country.
Amid slogans of “Shaheed amar rahe” (long live the martyr) rent the air, hundreds of people, including family members and relatives, paid their last respects to Singh with tearful eyes.
He was later cremated with full military honours after a gun salute and the sounding of the Last Post.
he Rising Star Corps paid tribute to the braveheart Subedar Surjeet Singh. In an earlier post on X, the Corps stated, “The Army stands firmly with the bereaved family in this hour of grief and assures unwavering support.”
On Wednesday, Defence spokesperson Suneel Bartwal said the incident was under investigation and that further details would be shared as facts are established. “A JCO of an Army unit in Samba sustained a gunshot wound while on duty and unfortunately succumbed to his injuries in the line of duty. At this stage, the terror angle has been ruled out. The incident is under investigation,” he said.
A panel under the Ministry of Environment has approved the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, officials said on Saturday.
The clearance comes in the backdrop of India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April this year.
The Expert Appraisal Committee on hydel projects accorded the approval during its 45th meeting earlier this month, paving the way for floating construction tenders for the run-of-the-river project, estimated to cost over Rs 3,200 crore.
According to the minutes of the meeting, the panel noted that the water of Chenab basin is shared between India and Pakistan in accordance with provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, 1960, and the project’s parameters were planned in accordance with the treaty.
“However, the Indus Water Treaty stands suspended effective from April 23, 2025,” the panel noted.
When the Indus Water Treaty was in force, Pakistan had rights over the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, and India over the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. With the treaty now in abeyance, the Centre is pushing ahead with several hydroelectric projects in the Indus basin, such as Sawalkote, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru, and Kirthai I and II.
Dulhasti Stage-II is an extension of the existing 390-MW Dulhasti Stage-I Hydro Electric Project (Dulhasti Power Station), which has been successfully operating since its commissioning in 2007 by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited.
Under the plan, water will be diverted from the Stage-I power station through a separate tunnel measuring 3,685 metres in length and 8.5 metres in diameter to form a horseshoe-shaped pondage for Stage-II.
The project also includes a surge shaft, a pressure shaft, and an underground powerhouse housing two 130 MW units, resulting in a total installed capacity of 260 MW and an annual energy generation.
The total land requirement for the project is estimated at 60.3 hectares. This project will require 8.27 hectares of private land from two villages, Benzwar and Palmar, in Kishtwar district.
