Day: July 22, 2026

Tintin and the Secret of Shahi Baoli

Arijit Bose

Chapter 1: Unwelcome Visitors in Old Delhi The midday heat of Chandni Chowk radiated off the red sandstone, thick with the scent of roasted cumin, exhaust fumes, and crushed marigolds. Tintin wiped his brow with a handkerchief, checking the pocket watch Captain Haddock had gifted him before deciding to stay aboard the Karaboudjan for a refit in Mumbai. “Great snakes, Snowy,” Tintin murmured, ducking beneath a canopy of dangling electrical wires. “If Professor Calculus’s telegram is correct, the missing page from the 17th-century court chronicle of Shah Jahan was last…

Read More

The Last Don

Arijit Bose

The rain over the city did not fall so much as it clung, draping the narrow alleys of the Iron District in a greasy, sulfurous mist. Beneath the flickering sodium lamps, the pavement glistened like fresh obsidian. This was a city built on dark money and silence, where power wasn’t inherited; it was carved out of other men’s bones. At the apex of this underworld stood Julian Vance, known across the five boroughs simply as the Last Don. Julian sat in the leather-bound sanctuary of his backroom office behind the…

Read More

Lucknow University, State Transformation Commission Sign MoU to Establish Policy Research Centre

Arijit Bose

Lucknow: In a major step towards supporting Uttar Pradesh’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy, the Uttar Pradesh State Transformation Commission (UPSTC) and the University of Lucknow signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Yojana Bhawan to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and sustainable development. Under the agreement, the University of Lucknow will establish the Centre for Development and Policy Research (CDPR), which will function as the state government’s principal policy think tank for the next three years. The MoU was signed in the presence of UPSTC Chief Executive Officer…

Read More

Keshav Prasad Maurya Reviews Bareilly Development, Backs SHG Model for Hospital Supplies

Arijit Bose

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya chaired a comprehensive review meeting with administrative officials of all departments in Bareilly, directing authorities to ensure efficient governance, farmer welfare, improved public services and stronger implementation of development schemes. Reviewing compliance with directions issued during his previous meeting in April, Maurya instructed officials to ensure hassle-free procurement of farmers’ produce and said farmers should not face difficulties in transporting soil from their own fields for personal use. He emphasised that no action should tarnish the government’s image and urged officials…

Read More

UP Concludes Groundwater Week 2026, Calls for Rainwater Harvesting as Daily Practice

Arijit Bose

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh marked the conclusion of Groundwater Week 2026 with a state-level ceremony at Bhagidari Bhawan in Gomti Nagar, where Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh urged citizens to make water conservation a part of their daily lives and adopt the mantra: “Harvest rainwater wherever and whenever it falls.” The week-long campaign, held from July 16 to 22, was organised to transform groundwater conservation and rainwater harvesting into a people’s movement under the theme, “Take a pledge to conserve water—there is no alternative.” The event began with Saraswati Vandana,…

Read More

Dharm Pal Singh Launches Eighth Phase of FMD Vaccination Drive in Bareilly

Arijit Bose

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Dharm Pal Singh launched the eighth phase of the state’s Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Control Programme from the Vikas Bhawan in Bareilly, marking the beginning of a statewide free livestock vaccination campaign. The campaign, which will run from July 22 to September 8, 2026, aims to protect eligible livestock against the highly contagious Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The minister flagged off awareness and vaccination vehicles that will travel across the district to educate livestock owners and facilitate free vaccination services. Addressing the gathering, Singh…

Read More

Gonda Police Solve Jewellery Theft Case Within Hours; Woman, Alleged Accomplice Arrested

Arijit Bose

Gonda: Gonda Police have solved a high-value jewellery theft case within hours of its registration, arresting a woman and her alleged accomplice after an investigation revealed that the theft had allegedly been orchestrated from within the victim’s own household. According to police, Lav Kush, a resident of Bishunapur Bazaar, lodged a complaint on the night of July 19, alleging that unidentified thieves had broken into his house, forced open three storage boxes and stolen gold and silver jewellery. Following the registration of the case, Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal directed…

Read More

Hundreds Pledge to Conserve Groundwater During Awareness Drive in Gonda

Arijit Bose

Gonda: Hundreds of residents took a pledge to conserve groundwater and promote sustainable water use during a public awareness programme organised as part of Groundwater Week in Gonda district. The campaign was jointly organised by the Pani Sansthan and the Groundwater Department at Mujehna and Pandri Kripal development blocks, with the aim of encouraging community participation in water conservation and ensuring water security for future generations. During the programme, Rajeev Mishra of Pani Sansthan administered the groundwater conservation pledge to participants. He highlighted the alarming decline in groundwater levels and…

Read More

MJPRU Reviews Preparations for August 4 Convocation, Sets July 31 Deadline for Committees

Arijit Bose

Bareilly: Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University (MJPRU), Bareilly, has stepped up preparations for its Convocation Ceremony 2026, with Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.P. Singh chairing a high-level meeting of committee convenors to review the progress of arrangements for the event scheduled on August 4, 2026. The meeting was held at the Ministerial Staff Association Hall on the university campus and brought together heads of various committees responsible for organising the prestigious academic event. During the review, Prof. Singh directed each committee to present a status report on its assigned responsibilities and instructed…

Read More

MJPRU Education Department Hosts Book Reading and Review Session Ahead of Convocation

Arijit Bose

Bareilly: As part of the activities leading up to the 24th Convocation Ceremony, the Department of Education at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University (MJPRU) organised a Book Reading and Review Programme to encourage reading habits, critical thinking and intellectual engagement among students. The programme began with an address by Prof. Santosh Arora, Dean of the Faculty and Head of the Department of Education, who highlighted the significance of reading in personal and academic development. She described books as a person’s true companions and said quality literature helps shape character, broaden…

Read More