Blog - The Purbottar

25 Feb

Joint Operation by Police, GREF and Tourism Dept Ensures Safe Evacuation in Gangtok

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

Around 322 tourist vehicles were safely brought back after sudden snowfall left them stranded along the Jawaharlal Nehru Road in East Sikkim. The vehicles were stuck between 15th Mile and 13th Mile, near the Thula Khola area, under the jurisdiction of the Sherathang Check Post and Police Station. The snowfall was sudden and heavy enough to make the road slippery. Many vehicles could not move ahead or return, leaving hundreds of tourists stranded on the high-altitude stretch. Officials said that as soon as information reached the authorities, a joint rescue operation was launched without delay. The operation involved personnel of…

25 Feb

Royal Stag BoomBox launches fourth edition in Kolkata, announces multi-city tour across India

Business BureauBusiness

Seagram’s Royal Stag announced the successful launch of the fourth edition of Royal Stag BoomBox – The Original Sound of Generation Large – with a grand opening at Aquatica Ground, Kolkata on February 21. The platform, built around the brand’s philosophy of ‘Living It Large’, brings together Bollywood melodies and hip-hop beats alongside immersive art, culture and gaming experiences. The Kolkata edition witnessed strong participation, with thousands attending the high-energy evening. The venue was transformed into a multi-sensory arena featuring vibrant installations, curated food experiences and interactive gaming zones. The event commenced with a live gaming face-off led by Payal…

25 Feb

Tezpur University Clinches Third Place in Literary Category at Inter-University Youth Fest

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Tezpur University has secured the third position in the literary category at the Inter-University Youth Festival, earning the title of 2nd Runners-Up in Literary Events. With this performance, the university has also qualified for the 39th AIU National Youth Festival. The achievement reflects the steady focus of the university on literary and cultural development among students. Participants from different departments took part in several competitions and brought multiple awards to the institution. Rahul Rohan Paul, a postgraduate student of Mass Communication and Journalism, delivered a strong performance in the literary events. He won the second position and a silver medal…

25 Feb

Launch of Direct Jammu-Srinagar Vande Bharat Train Put on Hold

anuprova EditorIndia

In a sudden reversal of plans, the Railway Board has suspended the highly anticipated extension of the Vande Bharat Express service between Jammu and Srinagar, which was originally slated to begin on March 1, 2026. The decision came on the night of February 24, just hours after Northern Railway had officially announced the new schedule and capacity upgrades. While the local railway division had already shared details regarding a shift from 8-car to 20-car rakes to accommodate over 1,400 daily passengers, the central board intervened to put the notification "on hold until further advice." Senior officials cited "unavoidable circumstances" for…

25 Feb

Assam Government to Release February Salaries on Feb 27 to Ease Festive Expenses

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In a move that is likely to bring relief and festive cheer to thousands of government employees, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday announced that the salaries of State Government employees will be credited in advance on February 27. The salaries were earlier scheduled to be disbursed in the first week of March. However, keeping the upcoming Holi festival in mind, the state government has decided to release the payment earlier. The Chief Minister said the decision was taken as a gesture of appreciation for the dedicated service of government employees. He added that the early credit of…

25 Feb

Tata Consultancy Services Pushes AI-First Strategy, Even at Risk of Revenue Loss

nanika EditorBusiness

In a bold move that signals confidence in the future of artificial intelligence, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has asked its employees to actively adopt AI-driven solutions—even if doing so disrupts the company’s existing revenue streams.At a time when AI is creating anxiety across the IT services sector over billing models and job security, TCS Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director K. Krithivasan has taken a clear stand: embrace change, don’t resist it.Speaking at the 34th Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum (NTLF), Krithivasan urged employees to inform clients if tasks can be completed “faster, better, and cheaper” using AI—even if that…

25 Feb

Preparations reviewed for PM Modi’s upcoming Kokrajhar tour

Banasree SarkarAssam

On March 13, a pre-preparedness review meeting was conducted in the BTC Secretariat's Conference Hall, Block-A, in relation to the planned visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Green Field, Bodofa Nwgwr, Kokrajhar. The discussion went over the general readiness and plans that the relevant departments and stakeholders would be making. BTC chairman Hagrama Mohilary, EMs, MCLAs, top officials from the Assam government and BTC administration, Jayanta Mallabaruah, the Minister of Public Health Engineering, etc., and other government officials were present when Dr. Ravi Kota, the chairman Secretary of the Government of Assam, performed the review. In order to…

25 Feb

Mahindra-Manulife Life Insurance JV appoints Suresh Agarwal as MD & CEO designate

Business BureauBusiness

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) and Manulife have appointed Suresh Agarwal as the MD & CEO designate of their proposed 50:50 life insurance joint venture, subject to regulatory approvals. The partnership to set up the life insurance business was announced in November last year, marking the companies’ entry into India’s fast-growing insurance sector. Suresh brings nearly 30 years of experience across life and general insurance, and corporate and retail lending. He earlier played a key role in building Kotak’s life insurance operations and later led the transition of Kotak General Insurance into a joint venture with Zurich Insurance. Since September…

25 Feb

Assam CM slams opposition’s ‘vote bank politics’, backs SIP drive

riya EditorAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on February 24, criticized the Opposition for what he termed "vote bank politics," labeling it a significant threat to the nation. He reaffirmed his government's commitment to protecting the interests of Assam through the Special Intensive Pushback (SIP) initiative, which aims to enhance border enforcement and internal security. Sarma outlined that the ongoing SIP strategy is designed as a long-term solution to secure Assam's present and future, with a recent operation resulting in the pushback of 20 individuals suspected of being illegal infiltrators. Emphasizing this as part of a larger protective strategy, he expressed…

25 Feb

NE states come together at regional workshop to enhance NACP rollout

riya EditorAssam

A three-day regional workshop initiated under the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) commenced on Wednesday, targeting the review of NACP implementation across seven North Eastern States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, as well as 60 identified high-priority districts in the region. This workshop marks the first in a series of 11 regional workshops aimed at intensifying efforts to meet NACP targets by December 2027. Participants include senior leadership and program functionaries such as principal secretaries, secretaries, commissioner-cum-secretaries for health, mission directors of the National Health Mission (NHM), and project directors from the State AIDS…