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We want to honour legends of past: Maharaj

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We want to honour legends of past: Maharaj

London, Jun 9: Keshav Maharaj is determined to follow in the famous footsteps of Graeme Smith and his world number one team of yesteryears at the World Test Championship final, beginning here Wednesday.

South Africa will face off against Australia for ownership of the ICC Test Championship mace at Lord’s, the same venue where the Proteas last got their hands on the trophy 13 years ago.

A legendary South Africa side comprising Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn and Graeme Smith beat England at the fabled ground to rise to world number one that day, and Maharaj revealed those memories are fuelling motivation for his side to repeat the feat.

“I remember watching that when they lifted the mace,” he said.

“We know that apart from doing it for us, we want to honour the legends of the past, and hopefully we will one day be seen in the same calibre and light to win such a coveted title and hold the Test mace.”

South Africa arrive in London in strong form following seven consecutive Test victories, with their last defeat coming against New Zealand in February 2024.

That run took the Proteas to the top of the ICC World Test Championship table and has bred plenty of confidence in camp ahead of the decider against Australia.

“When we started the journey two years ago, a lot of people didn’t think we’d be in this situation, but with each and every series, we grew more and more,” added Maharaj.

“Our blend of youth and experience complements each other really nicely, and we find ourselves competing for another trophy. The boys have put in a lot of hard work. The excitement is building as we edge closer, and it’s now about letting it sink in and soaking up the occasion to allow us to play with freedom.”

Maharaj is one of a number in the South African squad who have come agonisingly close to ICC silverware in the past few years.

The spinner was part of the side that finished runners-up at the T20 World Cup 2024, while the Proteas also reached the semi-finals of both the ODI World Cup 2023 and Champions Trophy 2025.

While those near misses still sting, Maharaj is insistent on using those experiences in a positive way.

“In previous attempts, no one expected us to reach the knockout phases of any competition, but we have reached two semi-finals and two finals.

“Hopefully through all those misses we come right in this one. There is a lot of inspiration we can draw from in the brand of cricket we have played in the last three or four years.

“If we run with it and stay true to it, hopefully this is our opportunity to finally raise that most-coveted trophy that has eluded us for a number of years,” he said.

On a personal note, Maharaj is just two away from 200 Test wickets, and while the experienced spinner is happy to trade individual accolades for team success, the prospect of bringing up the milestone at Lord’s is one that he cannot escape.

“I don’t pay too much attention to the numbers; I just want to help ensure my team wins, so hopefully I can get a 10-fer.

“I’ve enjoyed my journey so far; hopefully I’ve got a long time left, but to get that feat in front of my family at Lord’s would be very special,” added Maharaj.

Greater Kashmir

LIC MD Sat Pal Bhanoo takes charge as acting CEO

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LIC MD Sat Pal Bhanoo takes charge as acting CEO

New Delhi, June 9: Sat Pal Bhanoo, Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India, has been appointed to assume the additional responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director on an interim basis.

According to a Ministry of Finance letter dated June 7, 2025, Bhanoo will exercise the full financial and administrative powers of the CEO and MD position for three months starting June 8, 2025.

The appointment runs until September 7, 2025, or until a regular incumbent takes charge, or until further government orders—whichever comes first. The directive was issued by the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance.

This interim arrangement ensures continuity in LIC’s top leadership during the transition period.

Greater Kashmir

Otterly Unexpected

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Otterly Unexpected

Srinagar, Jun 9: In a rare and encouraging sighting, the Eurasian otter ñ long believed to be extinct in Jammu and Kashmir – has been spotted in a tributary of the Lidder River near Srigufwara in south Kashmirís Bijbehara area, renewing hope for the regionís fragile freshwater ecosystems.

Locally known as Wuddar, the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) is a semi-aquatic mammal classified as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to habitat loss, pollution, and illegal hunting.

“This is a very encouraging sign. We have installed cameras to document its presence,” said Suhail Ahmad Wagay, Wildlife Warden, South Kashmir. “Otters are apex predators in freshwater ecosystems and serve as critical indicators of ecological health. Their presence suggests the aquatic habitat remains relatively intact and supports a viable fish population.”

The Eurasian otter feeds mainly on fish and other aquatic fauna and typically inhabits clean, well-vegetated riverbanks where it builds dens known as holts.

However, these habitats are increasingly threatened by pollution, unregulated construction, and destructive fishing practices.

“Otters are completely harmless to humans and should not cause alarm,” Wagay said. “However, destructive fishing methods, such as the use of chemicals or electric shocks, are major threats and must be curbed immediately.”

The recent discovery is not an isolated case.

Over the past year, otter activity has also been reported in the Chenab River, the Rambiara stream in Shopian, and the glacier-fed Gurez Valley in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

Wildlife officials confirmed the species’ presence after it was captured on camera traps during a joint survey conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Protection Department and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

It marks the first confirmed photographic evidence of the species in the region in more than three decades.

Despite their ecological importance, otters have historically been viewed as a nuisance by local fishermen — particularly in commercial fishing zones like Wular, Dal, and Manasbal lakes – due to their predation on fish.

This perception, combined with habitat degradation, is believed to have contributed to their disappearance from many lowland aquatic systems.

“From 2010 to 2019, we had only indirect evidence like fish remains, but no photographic proof,” said Suhail Intesar, a wildlife researcher and warden with the Department of Wildlife Protection. “The otter survived in remote glacier-fed streams where trout are abundant and human interference is minimal.”

Historically, Eurasian otters inhabited the backwaters of Dal Lake, the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary in Shopian, Dachigam National Park near Srinagar, and the Aru Wildlife Sanctuary in Pahalgam.

But sightings became increasingly rare due to mounting environmental pressures.

Once extensively hunted for its thick, waterproof fur, the Eurasian otter has seen dramatic population declines across much of Asia. In India, the species is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Conservationists are now calling for immediate steps to restore natural habitats and implement long-term monitoring programs.

“Spotting otters in Kashmir again is a sign that nature is healing,” Wagay said. “But we must not become complacent. There is an urgent need to balance human activity with conservation goals to protect this vital species.”

The Eurasian otter is native to Europe, much of Asia, and parts of North Africa. While the species has rebounded in parts of Western Europe due to sustained conservation efforts, populations in South Asia remain scattered and highly vulnerable.

The post Otterly Unexpected appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Greater Kashmir

Govt committed to ensuring equal opportunities for specially-abled: LG

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LG Sinha expresses deep anguish over Ramban landslide tragedy

Jammu, Jun 9: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Monday said that the government was committed to ensuring equal opportunities for the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Inaugurating a mass distribution drive of aids and appliances for the PwDs (specially-abled), in Jammu, the LG in his address said, ìI assure our Divyangjan that administration is committed to ensuring equality and equal opportunity to them in every sphere of life and they will always be treated as equals in terms of rights, access, and dignity.

He lauded the noble initiative by the Directorate of Social Welfare, Jammu, under two key centrally sponsored schemes ñ Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) and Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase and Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) aimed to improve lives of senior citizens with disabilities and to empower PwDs.

ìI strongly believe that people with disabilities have special abilities and they possess unique strengths and perspectives. I admire their exceptional resilience, problem-solving skills, and empathy towards others in the society,î LG Sinha said.

He directed the officials to promote inclusion and leverage practical solutions in the ever-evolving technological world.

ìI have always dreamt of building a caring society and welfare and rehabilitation of Divyangjan is my priority. It is my commitment to ensure dignity of life to our Divyangjan and their participation in all walks of life,î the LG said.

He reiterated the commitment of the Centre and J&K administration to fairness and opportunity tailored to the individual needs of the senior citizens.

ìI will personally ensure that systemic inequities and accessibility barriers ñ physical, digital, and social are completely removed,î LG Sinha said.

He initiated the disbursement of pension arrears of Rs 6.14 crore to 12,660 beneficiaries under the Integrated Social Security Scheme (ISSS).

The arrears were pending due to Aadhaar non-seeding, aimed at ensuring financial inclusion and support to the elderly, widows, and PwDs.

The LG said that the Social Welfare Department was coming up with a revolutionary app for the integration of eligible senior citizens into the pension beneficiaries.

He inaugurated a 50-bedded halfway home for psycho-social rehabilitation of treated and controlled people with mental illness established at Rs 4.39 crore at Lower Chowadi Jammu, under the Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS).

The halfway home will offer a structured environment to help individuals with mental illness who have been discharged from hospitals or institutions to reintegrate into society.

LG Sinha assured all support and assistance to the PwDs by the Social Welfare Department for their self-employment endeavours.

He asked the officials to submit the proposal to the Centre for the establishment of a park dedicated to PwDs.

The LG also dedicated the Parisha Child Care Institution for Girls, established at a cost of Rs 3.03 crore at Mandi Gurglian, Samba.

He commended the efforts of everyone associated with the Parisha initiative for providing a safe and nurturing environment for a better future for girl children in need.

The Directorate of Social Welfare Jammu, in collaboration with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), has conducted 112 assessment camps in all 10 districts of the Jammu division.

A total of 2939 persons with disabilities under the ADIP scheme and 2756 senior citizens under the RVY scheme, culminating in a total of 5918 identified beneficiaries, will receive more than 19,960 aids and appliances during the mass distribution drive.

Members of Legislative Assembly Sham Lal Sharma,  Arvind Gupta, Gharu Ram, Yudhvir Sethi, and Surinder Kumar; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Rupesh Kumar, Director Social Welfare Department Jammu, senior officials, PwDs, representatives of various NGOs, and civil society members were present on the occasion.

Greater Kashmir

35 hospitalised after falling ill in Rajouri, water samples collected

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35 hospitalised after falling ill in Rajouri, water samples collected

Jammu, June 09: Thirty-five villagers were hospitalised after falling ill due to a mysterious illness in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, prompting the health department to collect water samples and seal the local water sources, officials said.

The incident follows a mysterious illness that claimed 17 lives from three families at Badhaal in the same district between December 7, 2024, and January 19 this year.

“Thirty-five persons from Kotliparran village in Manjakot tehsil were admitted to the hospital after falling ill in the past few days. All are stable. Four of them have been referred to the Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri,” a doctor heading the medical team told reporters in the village.

A team from the health department has visited the village, collected water samples, and sent them for testing, he said.

The patients exhibited symptoms of waterborne disease, prompting immediate medical attention, officials said. While investigations are underway to ascertain the exact cause of the illness, health officials suspect contaminated drinking water.

“A team from GMC Rajouri collected water samples from three local wells. The district administration has sealed the wells pending test results,” the medic said.

“It can be a possible outbreak of acute gastroenteritis, according to the information received from the community medicine department. The symptoms included stomach pain, fever, dehydration, and diarrhea,” he added.

Health officials are closely monitoring the situation after assuring the public that appropriate measures are being taken to ensure public safety.

Seventeen people, including 13 children and four adults, died within 50 days due to a mysterious illness at Badhaal village from last December till January this year.

The authorities declared the entire village a containment zone and shifted the residents to a quarantine centre, where they were released after over a month-long stay.

Greater Kashmir

Arun Gupta re-elected as JCCI president

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Arun Gupta re-elected as JCCI president

Jammu, Jun 9: Arun Gupta has been re-elected as the president of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in the biennial elections for the term 2025-27 held at Chamber House on June 8.

Gupta, along with his team made a clean sweep in the elections by bagging all the posts. Arun Gupta defeated his rival Rakesh Gupta by a margin of 171 votes. He (Arun Gupta) polled 1461 votes.

For the posts of senior vice president; junior vice president and secretary general, Anil Gupta; Rajeev Gupta and Manish Gupta were declared elected respectively.

Anil Gupta got 1603 votes against his rival Deepak Aggarwal, who bagged 1010 votes; Rajeev Gupta polled 1812 votes against his rival Sunil Gupta, who bagged 916 votes and Manish scored 1487 votes while his rival contestant Rahul Mahajan got 1226 votes. Rajesh Gupta won the post of Secretary bagging 1496 votes and Rajesh Gupta (Raju) bagged the post of treasurer by polling 1295 votes while their rivals Ashu Gupta and Manik Gupta got 1144 and 739 votes respectively.

Shiv Partap Gupta acted as the head of the Election Committee.

Greater Kashmir

Piyush Goyal begins visit to Switzerland and Sweden

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Goyal to meet exporters on May 8 on India-UK trade pact

New Delhi, June 9: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal commenced his official visit to Switzerland on June 9, 2025, as part of a broader tour of Switzerland and Sweden from June 9–13. The visit reflects India’s sustained commitment to deepening strategic and economic partnerships with key European nations and advancing trade, investment, and innovation-driven growth.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the visit marks a significant milestone in enhancing India’s engagement with two of Europe’s most technologically advanced and innovation-led economies. The Minister’s engagements are focused on high-level dialogues with government officials, CEOs, business associations, and the Indian diaspora.

The Switzerland leg of the visit includes sector-specific meetings with major Swiss industry leaders in areas such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences, precision engineering, machine tools, and high-tech manufacturing. Shri Goyal will also participate in a Business Round Table with the Swiss Mechanical and Electrical (MEM) Industry, hosted during the Swissmem Industry Day, to explore the opportunities emerging from the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). A major highlight of the day’s programme will be the Minister’s meeting with Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin, aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and diplomatic ties. The Minister will also hold one-on-one meetings with leading Swiss companies, with participation from Indian industry representatives, to foster direct dialogue and explore avenues for collaboration.

In addition, Goyal is scheduled to meet members of the ICAI Zurich Chapter and interact with Indian media, further strengthening people-to-people and institutional connections. Following his engagements in Switzerland, the Minister will travel to Sweden, where he will co-chair the 21st Session of the Indo-Swedish Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific Cooperation (JCEISC) with H.E. Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

Bilateral meetings with Mr. Dousa and Mr. Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary to the Minister of Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, are also on the agenda. These talks aim to reinforce the already strong economic partnership between India and Sweden and explore new avenues aligned with India’s long-term growth objectives. Key Swedish engagements will include the India-Sweden Business Leaders’ Round Table and individual meetings with prominent Swedish companies such as Ericsson, Volvo Group, IKEA, Sandvik, Alfa Laval, and SAAB. Discussions will focus on sectors including advanced manufacturing, green technologies, sustainable solutions, and innovation-led development.

Greater Kashmir

Tarigami, Qayoom Wani condole demise of Sampat Prakash’s wife

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Tarigami, Qayoom Wani condole demise of Sampat Prakash’s wife

Srinagar, Jun 9: Expressing grief and sorrow over the demise of Dura Krandoo, wife of Sampat Prakash, a veteran trade union leader, CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Monday extended sympathies with the bereaved family.

The deceased breathed her last this morning. “I equally share the pain of bereaved family at this hour of grief.” Tarigami said.

Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) and Pensioners United Front (JKPUF) chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani has also condoled the demise of Dura Krandoo.

Greater Kashmir

House gutted in Doda’s Bhalessa, losses worth lakhs

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House gutted in Doda’s Bhalessa, losses worth lakhs

Ramban, Jun 9: A multi-storey residential house was destroyed in a fire incident in Manoo, Panchayat of Bhalessa of Doda district on Monday.  Police sources said a four storey residential house belonging to Haji Noor Baksh, caught fire on early Monday morning resulting in the house suffering extensive damages.

One of the villagers informed Greater Kashmir that due to absence of road connectivity to the area, fire tenders couldn’t reach the spot.

A Police officer said no loss of life or injury to anyone was reported in this fire incident.  He further said that police were investigating the reason behind this fire incident.

Greater Kashmir

11 yrs of Modi govt ‘golden period’ of resolve, dedication towards public service: Amit Shah

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Amit Shah reviews security along Indo-Pak border, airports with top officials

New Delhi, June 09: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the 11 years of Modi government was a “golden period” of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service.

In Narendra Modi’s third term as prime minister, Shah said this new India is rapidly progressing towards development and self-reliance with the power of reform, perform and transform.

He said this journey of making India “number 1” in every field by bringing positive changes in the lives of the countrymen will continue.

“The historic 11 years of the Modi Government have been a golden period of resolve, endeavour and dedication towards public service,” he wrote on ‘X’ in Hindi and called it 11 years of “seva” (service).

The Modi government completes the first year of its third term on Monday.

The home minister said the country has seen a new era of economic revival, social justice, cultural pride and national security.

“The Modi government has proved that when the leadership is clear, the resolve is firm and the intention is of public service, then new records of service, security and good governance are created,” he said.

Shah said when PM Modi took over the reins of the country in 2014, there was policy paralysis in the country.

He said there were no policies, no leadership and scams were at their peak in the government the economy was in shambles and the governance system was directionless.

The home minister said during the “11 years of seva”, the speed and scale of the country’s development have been changed by ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’.

“PM Shri @narendramodi ji brought farmers, women, backwards, Dalits and marginalised to the centre of governance and created a work culture of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas instead of appeasement,” he said.

Shah said the 11 years of the Modi government have also proved to be a milestone in the direction of national security.

“Naxalism is on its last legs, peace has been established in Jammu-Kashmir and the Northeast, India now responds to terrorist attacks by entering the homes of terrorists. This shows the changing picture of India under the Modi government,” he said.

Greater Kashmir

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