Kolkata has earned the distinction of being the most vegan-friendly city in India for 2025, according to PETA India. The recognition comes in light of the city’s increasing number of vegan restaurants, cafes, and plant-based food options, alongside community initiatives promoting ethical eating and cruelty-free living.
The award reflects not just the culinary landscape but also the efforts of local residents and businesses to embrace veganism and promote awareness about animal welfare. PETA India highlighted Kolkata’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment for vegans and the growing popularity of plant-based diets among its population. The announcement also aims to inspire other cities across India to adopt more vegan-friendly practices and support sustainable, compassionate food choices.
The Commandant of the Naval War College, Rear Admiral Arjun Dev Nair, addressed the media regarding the fifth edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC-26), scheduled to be held on February 21, 2026, in Goa.
The conclave will witness participation from 14 countries of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), reinforcing its importance as a key maritime dialogue platform focused on regional cooperation and security.
The theme for this year’s edition is “Common Maritime Security Challenges in the IOR – Progressing Lines of Effort to Mitigate Dynamic Threats.” The discussions will centre on collaborative strategies to address evolving maritime risks and strengthen collective security frameworks across the region.
Significantly, GMC-26 will be hosted for the first time at Chola Bhawan, the newly inaugurated academic complex of the Naval War College in Goa. The new venue is expected to provide a modern and dynamic setting for high-level deliberations among participating nations.
The Goa Maritime Conclave continues to serve as an important forum for strengthening maritime partnerships and fostering dialogue among Indian Ocean Region countries in an increasingly complex security environment.
India has approved a transformative Rs 18,662-crore infrastructure project in Assam that will establish a four-lane, access-controlled greenfield corridor connecting Numaligarh on NH-715 and Gohpur on NH-15. At present, this journey of 240 km takes six hours via Kaliabhambhora near Silghat on NH-52. The new corridor, featuring India’s first underwater road-and-rail tunnel beneath the Brahmaputra River, will dramatically improve connectivity, reduce travel time, and provide significant socio-economic benefits to Assam and neighbouring northeast states including Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
The project, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, will be developed under an engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) model. The corridor passes through key locations such as Numaligarh, Kaziranga National Park, and Biswanath town, linking 11 economic nodes, 3 social nodes, 2 tourist nodes, 4 major railway stations, 2 airports, and 2 inland waterways. Once completed, it will facilitate seamless multi-modal integration, enhance freight efficiency, reduce logistics costs, and unlock new avenues for trade, industrial development, and regional economic growth.
Strategically, the tunnel and corridor will play a pivotal role in strengthening connectivity between major economic centres in the northeast and supporting national security priorities. In line with these initiatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently made a historic landing at the first emergency landing field in the northeast aboard a C-130J aircraft, highlighting the growing strategic importance of the Dibrugarh-Moran stretch of national highways. The combination of infrastructure, connectivity, and strategic planning underscores India’s commitment to the development and integration of its northeast region.
A groundbreaking discovery may reshape our understanding of ancient maritime trade routes. Researchers have identified 2,000-year-old Tamil-Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit inscriptions within the high-security royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings in Egypt — a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its Pharaonic burials.
The findings offer compelling new evidence of maritime trade connections between ancient Tamilakam (present-day Tamil Nadu and surrounding regions) and Egypt, dating back nearly two millennia. The inscriptions are believed to belong to the period between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE — a time corresponding to the height of Indo-Roman trade.
According to reports, 30 inscriptions in Tamil-Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit were identified across six tombs in the Theban Necropolis. The site, located within ancient Thebes, is globally known for housing royal tombs including that of Tutankhamun.
The study was conducted during 2024 and 2025 by Professor Charlotte Schmid of the French School of Asian Studies (EFEO) and Professor Ingo Strauch of the University of Lausanne. The team documented inscriptions across multiple tombs, building upon the early 20th-century work of French scholar Jule Baillet, who surveyed the Valley of the Kings in 1926 and catalogued more than 2,000 Greek graffiti marks.
Commenting on the discovery, author and historian TS Krishnan noted that Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt are “not entirely unexpected.” He pointed to well-established maritime trade networks between ancient Tamilakam and the Mediterranean world, particularly Egypt, during the Sangam age.
Krishnan also referenced earlier discoveries, including a broken pottery shard bearing Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions found in Egypt, read as “Paanai Uri,” interpreted as “a pot hung by rope” or “suspended vessel.” The artefact is generally dated to around the 1st century CE.
The presence of Indian inscriptions inside royal Egyptian tomb complexes suggests that Indian merchants may have travelled deep into Egyptian territory, leaving behind tangible traces of cross-cultural contact.
If further authenticated and studied, this discovery could significantly expand the historical narrative of Indo-Egyptian relations and reinforce evidence of India’s extensive maritime networks during antiquity.
In a unique citizen-driven governance move, the Government of Bihar has launched the “Gaddha Batao, ₹5,000 Pao” initiative starting today. Under this scheme, residents who report a verified pothole on state roads will receive a reward of ₹5,000.
The initiative aims to improve road infrastructure, ensure quicker pothole repairs, and enhance commuter safety across Bihar. By directly involving citizens in monitoring road conditions, the government seeks to create greater accountability and faster response mechanisms.
Officials stated that once a pothole is reported and verified by the concerned department, corrective measures will be initiated promptly, and the reporting citizen will be eligible for the financial reward.
The move reflects Bihar’s attempt to adopt participatory governance models where citizens become active stakeholders in infrastructure maintenance. Poor road conditions and potholes often lead to accidents, traffic disruptions, and vehicle damage — issues the scheme intends to address more efficiently.
With this initiative, Bihar joins a growing list of states experimenting with incentive-based reporting systems to strengthen transparency and service delivery.
