C. P. Radhakrishnan Sworn in as India’s 15th Vice-President: Constitutional Role and Political Context
C. P. Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice-President of India in a solemn ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office. The event was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers, and other dignitaries. Soon after assuming charge, Radhakrishnan reached out to Opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha, assuring them of “fair justice” and cooperation—remarks that signal his intent to maintain a balanced and inclusive approach in
The Battle of Rehlu: A clash of ambitions and a turning point in Kangra’s history
The Battle of Rehlu in 1794 was a watershed moment in the history of the hill states of present-day Himachal Pradesh, marking the high point of Kangra's dominance under the ambitious Raja Sansar Chand II. It was a fierce clash fought in the Rehlu region, near the modern-day village of Rait, that pitted the expansionist Kangra ruler against a powerful alliance of the Chamba and Nurpur principalities. Background: Sansar Chand's rise and Chamba's defianceAfter acquiring formal
Parwanoo Ranks Second in India for Clean Air Efforts: A Model for Small Cities
Parwanoo, a small industrial town in Himachal Pradesh, has earned national recognition for its exemplary efforts in tackling air pollution. In the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2025, conducted under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Parwanoo secured the second rank in the category of towns with less than 3 lakh population. Dewas in Madhya Pradesh took the first position, while Angul in Odisha secured the third. The achievement highlights how smaller towns, often overshadowed by metropolitan cities,
Himachal Pradesh Declared Fully Literate: What It Really Means
Earlier this week, Himachal Pradesh was declared to be a ‘fully literate’ state, joining Goa, Ladakh, Mizoram, and Tripura as the fifth State/Union Territory in India to achieve this status. But what exactly does ‘fully literate’ mean? Does it imply 100% literacy? Not quite. What Does ‘Fully Literate’ Mean? The Ministry of Education defines literacy as: “The ability to read, write, and compute with comprehension, i.e., to identify, understand, interpret and create, along with critical life skills such
Maa Shiv Shakti Mandir Chhatrari – History, Legends, and Unique Architecture
Have you ever heard of a temple that once rotated on a pillar and faces west instead of east?So let’s talk about Chhatrari village, about 48 km from Chamba town in Himachal Pradesh, where the famous Chhatrari Devi Temple, also known as Maa Shiv Shakti Mandir, stands. Built in the 8th century, it is among the oldest temples in Himachal Pradesh. At an altitude of nearly 6,000 feet in the Himalayas, this temple is more
Pong Dam at 50: Lessons for Water Management and Climate Resilience
Introduction The Pong Dam, commissioned in 1974 on the Beas River in Himachal Pradesh, stands as one of India’s major multipurpose river valley projects. Conceived under the Beas Project, its primary objectives were irrigation supply to Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, hydroelectric power generation, and flood moderation. However, the 50-year record of Pong reveals the paradoxes of India’s water management: years of excess inflows followed by prolonged shortfalls, increasing siltation, and erratic monsoons. This trajectory makes Pong an