General
Pongal 2024: Mumbai Celebrates Harvest Festival Reflecting Rich Tamil Culture
Nearly 2000 people participated in Pongal festivities in and around Antop Hill on Monday. Mass Pongal celebration was carried out across various locations of the Sion Koliwada constituency and was facilitated by MLA Captain R Tamil Selvan who continues to organise these events embracing the harvest season and Tamil culture for more than a decade now.
In a beautiful display of cultural richness, locals dressed in traditional attires prepared Pongal reciting folk songs, raising the festival mood. The event saw them setting up their Pongal pots in the midst of sugarcane, flowers, and rangolis. The celebration was notably marked at the Antop Hill Cement Ground with about a thousand people lifting the festival spirit on the auspicious day. Other areas that observed Pongal on a grand scale included New 90 Feet Road, Kamaraj Nagar, Vijay Nagar, and the Malai Mariamman temple in Naik Nagar among a few others.
Captain Selvan was seen visiting the spots and joining the public in the celebration. “Pongal is associated with agriculture. Tamilians of various religious beliefs celebrate this festival together without any discrimination. This is the significance of Pongal,” he said while extending Pongal greetings.
The event was not confined to only the Tamil-speaking people celebrating the occasion as it saw women from diverse cultural backgrounds mark the festival. While Tamilians gathered there to celebrate Pongal, others enjoyed the Makar Sankranti festivities in the region with similar rituals involving boiling water and preparing food in their pots.
“Pongalo Pongal” chants were heard during the celebration as women prayed to seek prosperity for their families while boiling and expecting their pots to overflow with the Pongal preparation.
Throwing more light on the harvest festival, the MLA acknowledged that the first dam built in the world was built by Karikala, a Tamilian. “Tamilians introduced the concept of building dams to stop running (river) water and distribute it for agricultural usage. Karikala from the Chola Dynasty constructed the Kallanai Dam over the Kaveri River running in Trichy.”
Several people admire the Tamil language and its treasurable culture, including PM Narendra Modi who recently inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Namo Ghat in Varanasi and mentioned about Pongal and remembered prominent Tamil personalities like Subramania Bharathiyar, Bharathidasan, and Thiruvalluvar.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Shortlists Seven Senior IPS Officers for Next DGP Post

By Kamar Ansari | Mumbai Press News
Mumbai: Maharashtra is set for a major leadership change in its police force, as the tenure of the current Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla, ends on December 31. In preparation for the transition, the state Home Department has shortlisted seven senior IPS officers and sent the names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for approval. The UPSC will select three names from the list, after which the state government will appoint one of them as the next DGP.
According to officials familiar with the development, the shortlisted names include officers from various key security and policing verticals in the state.
The officers shortlisted are:
Sadanand Date, Director General of the National Investigation Agency;
Sanjay Verma, DGP Legal and Technical;
Ritesh Kumar, Commandant General of Home Guards;
Sanjeev Kumar Singhal, DGP Anti-Corruption Bureau;
Archana Tyagi, Director General of the State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation;
Sanjeev Kumar, Director of Civil Defence;
Prashant Burde, DG Government Railway Police.
Among them, Sadanand Date is considered the senior-most officer and a strong contender for the role. He is due to retire in December 2026, making him eligible for a full two-year term if appointed. Date is highly respected for his service record, including his heroic actions during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks where he confronted terrorists with limited resources and prevented heavy civilian casualties.
However, his appointment depends on the central government’s approval since he is currently serving as the chief of NIA. Sources indicate that the state government has not yet formally requested his release from the central posting, which may become a factor in the final decision.
The appointment process will move forward once the UPSC finalizes three names for the government to choose from. The state is expected to announce the next DGP before Rashmi Shukla’s retirement to ensure seamless policing leadership.
Rashmi Shukla, who has led the Maharashtra Police during an eventful tenure, will retire on December 31, bringing an end to a long and distinguished service career.
Mumbai Press News Kamar Ansari will continue to follow the developments closely and bring timely updates on the selection of Maharashtra’s next top police officer.
By Kamar Ansari
Mumbai Press News
Maharashtra
Ameer Sunni Dawat-e-Islami Maulana Mohammad. Shakir Noori is once again included in the list of the 500 most influential Muslims of the year 2026.

Mumbai: November 1 – Maulana Muhammad Shakir Noori, Ameer of Sunni Dawat-e-Islami, who has played a prominent role in the fields of education, social and welfare services, and religious and religious leadership, and under whose management the annual gathering held at Azad Maidan, Mumbai, is one of the largest Sunni gatherings in the world, has been included in the list of 500 most influential Muslims in the world. This list consists of those personalities who are playing a prominent role in the Muslim world with a spirit of positive change, leadership, influence and service. This list is compiled under the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center, Oman (Jordan) and is published every year in collaboration with the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University (USA). In a statement issued on Friday, Sunni Dawat-e-Islami said that Maulana Noori’s tireless efforts in promoting educational and social services and welfare works have earned him this honor at the global level.
The statement said that Maulana Shakir Noori, who leads one of India’s largest Sunni organizations, has impacted thousands of lives through education, women’s empowerment, youth guidance and anti-drug campaigns. This award is not only a recognition of Maulana Noori’s services but also reflects the positive and constructive identity of Indian Muslims at the global level. Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is a non-political religious organization headquartered in Mumbai. Every year around December, this organization organizes a three-day grand gathering that includes religious speeches, speeches on contemporary issues, and educational guidance for students.
About three hundred thousand people participate in this gathering annually. About 50 educational institutions are established under the organization, in which more than 7,000 students are studying. Maulana Noori has authored more than 40 books that have been published in different languages. He has started several welfare projects, including empowering Muslim youth and women through education, providing food and clothing to the poor, guiding the weaker sections, reforming the youth, and campaigns against drugs and intoxicants. On this joyful occasion, congratulations are being offered by scholars, preachers, and concerned people, and Hazrat Ameer Sunni Dawat-e-Islami is praying for his health and long life.
Maharashtra
‘Run for Unity’ marathon organized in Malegaon on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, large number of youth participated

Malegaon: On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and iron man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a Run for Unity Marathon was organized in Malegaon city. A three-kilometer long Run for Unity Marathon (Ekta Door) was jointly organized by Azadnagar Police Station and Qila Police Station located in Malegaon city. A large number of youth participated in this race and enthusiastically covered a distance of three kilometers. This race was organized under the guidance and leadership of Nashik Gramin Superintendent of Police (SP) Balasaheb Patil. On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of national hero Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this marathon was organized with the joint efforts of Azadnagar and Qila Police Station. The youth participated in the marathon and spread the message of peace, brotherhood and brotherhood.
The Ekta Door started on Friday at 10 am from Chandpuri Gate located in Azadnagar Police Station. The Ekta Run, which started from Azadnagar Police Station, passed through Khanqah Masjid, Khan Collection, Sulaimani Chowk, Musharat Chowk, Bhuko Chowk, Anjuman Chowk, Nehru Chowk, Bohra Jamaat Khana, Panch Qandil and ended at Azadnagar Police Station at 11 am. More than two hundred people participated in the run, including a large number of police officers, citizens and students. Students and youth also participated in this run in large numbers.
Yogesh Ghorpade, Central Police Officer of Azadnagar Police Station, not only organized the run but also participated in the three-kilometer long run himself. Along with Yogesh Ghorpade, Senior Police Inspector of Qila Police Station, Sudhir Patil also assisted in organizing the Run for Unity. Sohail Sheikh won the first place in the marathon run. While Sachin Mali won the second place and Sheikh Aftab won the third place. Participants under the age of eighteen were also awarded prizes and honors. Every citizen who participated in the marathon run was awarded a certificate. Apart from Azad Nagar and Qila Police, City Police Station also organized the Ekta Daur to spread the message of brotherhood.
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