New Delhi, Nov 27: Navi Mumbai and Vadodara are the venues for the 2026 Women’s Premier League, to be held from January 9 to February 5. The tournament will open at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, while the final is scheduled to be held at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.

The announcement was made by WPL Committee Chairman Jayesh George before the competition’s first-ever mega auction began in New Delhi on Thursday. IANS understands that the WPL Committee had a meeting at the auction venue around noon to finalise the dates and venues, with the full schedule expected to come out soon.

As per the dates announced by George, the fourth WPL final will be held two days before the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup begins in India and Sri Lanka. IANS understands that the rationale behind keeping the second half of WPL 2026 in Vadodara is also due to the Kotambi stadium being set to host the men’s ODI series opener between India and New Zealand on January 11.

Vadodara was one of the four hosts for WPL in 2025 and now sees getting the entire second half as well as the knockout stages, including the all-important title clash. The tournament will also mark the return of women’s cricket in the WPL for the first time after India won the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup on November 2.

For now, the focus of all five teams – two-time champions Mumbai Indians, 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru, three-time runners-up Delhi Capitals, UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants – will be to make a trophy-winning squad for the 2026 season.

At the mega auction, India’s ODI World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur is present at the MI table, alongside Jhulan Goswami, new coach Lisa Keightley, and team owners. DC have a star-studded line-up in head coach Jonathan Batty and director of cricket Sourav Ganguly.

New UPW head coach Abhishek Nayar and mentor Lisa Sthalekar are present, while Pravin Tambe and Michael Klinger are representing GG and RCB has newly appointed assistant coach Anya Shrubsole on the table alongside head coach Malolan Rangarajan.

Mumbai: Mumbai The 612th Urs of Hazrat Makhdoom Faqih Ali Mahimi (may Allah have mercy on him) will be celebrated with utmost devotion and respect at Astana Makhdoom on November 28. A grand service will be held on November 28. The next day, on November 29, the eighth night and sandal will be presented. Along with this, a flag hoisting ceremony, a gathering of listeners and Quran recitation will also be held. The Dargah Committee has completed preparations for this. The Dargah has been decorated like a bride. In view of the Urs and the fair, the police have also made necessary security arrangements. Sohail Khandwani, Managing Trustee of the Dargah Committee, said that in the backdrop of the Urs and fair, the Dargah administration has made necessary arrangements. A grand service will be held at Astana Makhdoom on November 28 and a grand night flag hoisting ceremony, a gathering of listeners and Quran recitation will be held on November 29. The pilgrims are appealed to attend Astana Makhdoom with due respect. He said that the police and the Dargah administration jointly make security arrangements. Along with this, the annual fair will also be held on December 5. The first sandal will be presented by the police and the festival will continue till December 14. In view of this, the traffic police has also shifted the traffic route. Food stalls and entertainment are also available in the festival. The police perform 24-hour services and duties for the festival. Along with this, volunteers of the dargah are also assigned with the police. Police are also deployed on the premises of the dargah including traffic control. Sohail Khandwani has appealed to the sandal committee to take care of Sharia matters during the sandal presentation and not to violate noise and noise pollution and to present sandal at the dargah with courtesy and respect. The annual festival of Mumbai Police will start from December 5. The police is also ready for this. Sohail Khandwani said that the police have a lot of devotion to Baba, therefore they make the arrangements of the dargah with dedication and the police manage it well even in the face of a crowd.

Gandhinagar, Nov 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently championed India’s indigenous and heritage products, placing local strength at the heart of national growth. His call for Vocal for Local and Aatmanirbhar Bharat has given visibility to artisans and farmers across the country.

In line with this vision, the Prime Minister has also actively promoted Geographical Indication (GI) products, highlighting them in his radio address Mann Ki Baat and personally felicitating artisans who preserve traditional crafts.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has set an ambitious goal of reaching 10,000 GI-tagged products across India by 2030 under the vision of “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi.”

Gujarat has emerged as a strong contributor to this national mission by promoting its rich artisanal heritage, from Kutch’s celebrated crafts to Saurashtra’s premium agricultural produce on global platforms.

GI tagging reinforces the state’s commitment to “Viksit Gujarat to Viksit Bharat,” transforming local skills into global competitiveness. Kutch and Saurashtra together have secured GI recognition for over ten iconic products, including Ajrakh block printing, Bandhani tie-dye, Rogan art, Kutch shawls, the famed Kachchhi Kharek, and the globally loved Gir Kesar mango.

The upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) in Rajkot will spotlight the region’s craft excellence and export capacity, offering artisans a robust platform to scale their businesses.

Renowned for its blend of tradition and artistry, Kutch boasts GI-tagged crafts such as embroidery, Ajrakh printing, Bandhani, Rogan painting and the Kutch shawl. In the agricultural category, Kachchhi Kharek — a celebrated variety of date known for its rich flavour and nutritional value has also earned GI status.

Saurashtra’s signature products include Gir Kesar mango, often hailed as the “Queen of Mangoes,” the famed Jamnagari Bandhani, and the exquisite Rajkot Patola silk weaving tradition, cherished by Bollywood celebrities.

Surendranagar’s Tangaliya shawl, with its intricate weaving technique, has also built a loyal international following. The upcoming VGRC for Saurashtra and Kutch aims to accelerate the region’s artisan economy.

The two-day conference will bring together entrepreneurs, artisans, interior designers and product designers, creating avenues of collaboration with the Government e-Marketplace, private enterprises, investors and leading e-commerce platforms. The event promises to enhance innovation, expand market access and drive sustainable growth for traditional craft clusters.