National News
Krishna became ‘Dwarkadhish’ only after becoming Gujarati: Rupala

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala has said that Lord Krishna became popular as “Dwarkadhish” only after becoming a part of Gujarat.
He was speaking at a programme by the Vishwa Gujarati Samaj (VGS) to felicitate prominent Gujarati community personalities on Sunday.
“The Gujarati community has always been special with a rich tradition and past right from the times of mythology. Krishna might be known as Krishna or Kanhaiya but he received the title of Dwarkadhish only after he came here, became a part of Gujarat and became a Gujarati,” said Rupala.
Rupala felicitated historian Dr Rizwan Qadri with the ‘Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Vishwa Pratibha Award’ and Rs 2.50 lakh in cash for his research work on the ironman of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “The saints of Swaminarayan sect in Maninagar (Ahmedabad) inspiring Dr Qadri to do research on the Sardar and thereafter Dr Qadri studying and researching is a very historic and proud Gujarati moment. Exploring Sardar Patel’s magnanimous personality is like exploring the ocean,” added Rupala.
Besides Dr Qadri, the VGS also felicitated the Surat-based diamond firm owner and Padma Shri awardee Mathurbhai Savani with the ‘Shri Kanjibhai Desai Gujarat Pratibha Award’ along with prize money of Rs 1 lakh.
Besides, another awardee was the Delhi Gujarat Samaj, the Delhi chapter of VGS, which was recognised as an awardee for ‘Sreshth Gujarati Samaj Award’ and was awarded Rs 1 lakh for it’s contribution in 125 years.
“Having a history of 125 years in itself is a thing of honour for the Delhi Gujarati Samaj. I am glad that this institution has been maintaining the decorum of the Gujarati culture in the national capital for all these years,” he said.
Other awardees were cardiologist Dr R.K. Patel, who is also the honorary director at UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology. Patel was awarded for his special contribution in the Covid-19 situation duties.
Speaking about Dr R.K. Patel’s contribution in Gujarat, Rupala said: “If there is any hospital which can compete against corporate hospitals, then that is the Ahmedabad Civil hospital. It is only due to Dr Patel and a few others’ efforts that the hospital is now considered to be having highest of healthcare standards.”
Talking about the Gujarati culture and heritage, Rupala said: “The ancient heritage, right since the time of Narsinh Mehta continued to bring glory to the state and was sustained in the prevailing times by Dayanand Saraswati Maharaj,” he said.
On the Swaminarayan sect, he said: “If any institution which can be named to bring glory to the temple structure in the world, then that is the present Swaminarayan sect and the efforts of Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj.”
The minister also spoke about political leadership from Gujarat. “When you talk about the freedom struggle, then also it were the Gujaratis at the forefront. The duo of Gandhi and Sardar led the country towards freedom. Thereafter, Gujarat was led by Dr Jivraj Mehta in this journey of growth and today that journey has led us to a point where the state is now known as the growth engine of India,” Rupala said.
“On the business front, Gujaratis are known to be the leaders. The Surat diamond business is dominating in the world. Eighty per cent of global diamond business is controlled by Surat. Morbi is leading the world in clock manufacturing and ceramic industry. The ceramic of Morbi is now competing against China,” Rupala said.
Former president of VGS, Gujarat High Court advocate Krishnakant Vakhariya, was also felicitated for his contribution in leading VGS for nearly three decades.
After receiving the award and the prize money, Dr Qadri announced that the entire prize money of Rs 2.5 lakh will be utilised in further research work on Sardar. This was supported by Savani through his prize money of Rs one lakh.
“It is a thing of pride for me that I am honored for a work which is associated with the Sardar Saheb. But it is also a pity that our rich heritage and culture is being wasted and found in flea markets. An unknown painter called Chagan Jadhav painted the Dandi March, which I found in the Sunday flea market in Ahmedabad. Swami Maharajji inspired me to document this and the ‘Unseen Drawings of Dandi March’ was published. The prime minister Narendra Modi saw this publication which inspired the Aazadi ka Amrit mahotsav,” said Dr Qadri.
The VGS has been felicitating prominent Gujarati personalities every year since the past 17 years, except for last year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to president C.K. Patel.
“As an organisation we will be now moving towards reaching out to rural population and farmers in the coming days so as to carry out more work that needs to be done. We want to make a big movement,” said C.K. Patel.
National News
241 dead, one survivor as Air India Dreamliner crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad: Air India

New Delhi, June 13: In what is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.
The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.
The ill-fated flight had 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew, and two pilots. According to officials, only one person, a British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.
The aircraft took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 p.m. (IST) on Thursday before losing control moments later and crashing into a densely populated area, igniting a massive blaze and triggering emergency response teams across the city.
Air India confirmed the accident in an official statement on X: “UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”
The airline also shared the nationality breakdown of passengers: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” the statement added.
The national carrier has pledged full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the crash and has established dedicated helplines for families seeking information.
Domestic callers can reach the support team at 1800 5691 444, while international callers are advised to dial +91 8062779200.
Regular updates will be provided through Air India’s official website and its X handle.
National News
Plastic nurdle spill from sunken cargo ship reaches TN’s Dhanushkodi sanctuary, raising alarm

Chennai, June 10: A plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 has spread into the newly declared Dhanushkodi Greater Flamingo Sanctuary in Ramanathapuram district, threatening one of India’s most fragile coastal ecosystems.
The MSC ELSA 3, a Liberian-flagged vessel, sank off the Kochi coast a few weeks ago while carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, 12 with calcium carbide, 367 tonnes of furnace oil, and 84 tonnes of diesel.
The ship’s cargo manifest remains undisclosed, fuelling speculation about the full extent of environmental risk.
Dhanushkodi Sanctuary, located within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, supports 128 species of birds — including Greater and Lesser Flamingos — and is home to sea turtles, crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. Its dunes, marshes, and seagrass beds form part of the Central Asian Flyway for migratory birds.
The nurdles — tiny plastic pellets used in industrial manufacturing — resemble fish eggs and can be deadly to marine life. When ingested, they cause internal blockages, starvation, and often death. They also absorb toxins, entering the food chain and posing long-term health hazards.
About 80 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms, have reportedly washed ashore along a 12-km coastal stretch. Affected sites include the Dhanushkodi old church, Irattaithalai, Mugandharayan Chathiram, Gothanda Ramar temple, and Patchappatti village.
Carried by ocean currents from the Thiruvananthapuram-Kanniyakumari coast, the spill now threatens the adjacent Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, home to vital coral reefs and seagrass beds.
Experts warn these habitats could be smothered by plastic debris, blocking sunlight and disrupting photosynthesis.
Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon said, “We’ve identified between 15 and 30 nurdle bags along the coast. A special team has been deployed for cleanup, and additional teams are monitoring for further debris.”
He urged the public not to panic, stating that swift action was underway.
The disaster evokes memories of the 2021 X-Press Pearl incident in Sri Lanka, where 1,680 tonnes of nurdles led to mass marine deaths and crippled fisheries.
Studies showed severe impacts on plankton and larval life forms, threatening entire food chains.
Cleanup efforts in Ramanathapuram face challenges due to the nurdles’ buoyancy and small size, worsened by monsoon waves that break them into microplastics.
With the 61-day annual fishing ban nearing its end, fishermen fear reduced fish catches and consumer hesitancy could harm their livelihoods if the spill worsens.
Environmentalists are calling for urgent intervention, cargo transparency, and long-term containment measures to prevent irreversible damage to one of India’s most critical marine ecosystems.
National News
Eight Punjab and Haryana HC judges take lead to boost Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack

Srinagar, June 9: To give a boost to Kashmir tourism post Pahalgam terror attack, eight judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court are visiting the valley along with their families.
The visit of the legal personalities along with their families carries a powerful message for the revival of tourism in Kashmir, which got shattered after the Pahalgam terror attack.
On April 22, Pakistan-backed terrorists of Lashkar-e-Kashmir (LeT) killed 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local pony owner.
The pony owner sacrificed his life while trying to protect the tourists from the bullets of the terrorists.
The terror attack caused outrage in the entire country, and to avenge the killings of innocent civilians, the Indian Armed Forces carried out airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
In retaliation for India’s attack on terrorist infrastructure, Pakistan resorted to heavy mortar shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.
Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district, in addition to the destruction of scores of homes, shops, a temple, a mosque, a church and a Gurudwara.
The itinerary of the visiting high court judges includes visits to the Mughal Gardens of Nishat and Shalimar, Shikara rides on the Dal Lake, a visit to the historic Pari Mahal and buying a few handicrafts at the local market.
There could be no better omen for the revival of tourism in Kashmir than the decision of the honourable justices of the High Court to come here along with their families.
Coinciding with the visit of these dignitaries, local tour and travel operators and hotel owners are reporting a gradual rise in the tourist bookings that had virtually stopped after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Tour and travel operators and others connected with the tourist industry have expressed hope that the visit by the most respected legal dignitaries, like the high court judges, will restore confidence among visitors, both domestic and foreign, that Kashmir is a safe tourist destination.
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