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Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the return of Piprahwa relics associated with Lord Buddha is a "moment of pride, reverence and cultural connect."Sharing the highlights of today's programme, the Prime Minister, in a post on X, wrote, "The return of the sacred Piprahwa relics associated with Bhagwan Buddha after over a century is a moment of pride, reverence and cultural connect. Here are the highlights from today's programme."Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics, titled "The Light & the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One," at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi.The exhibition marks a historic moment with the reunification of the Piprahwa gem relics of Lord Buddha, repatriated after 127 years. The display also features relics, gem relics, and reliquaries unearthed during the 1898 excavation and the subsequent 1971-1975 excavations at the Piprahwa site.Prime Minister Modi said that ...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will inaugurate a grand exposition of the sacred Piprahwa relics, which include bone fragments believed to be of the Buddha, a sandstone coffer, and offerings such as ornaments and gemstones, which were excavated in northern India in the late 19th century. Titled "The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One," it is being hosted for a couple of months at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex here. Following the discovery of the relics at Piprahwa (in today's Uttar Pradesh) by William Claxton Peppe in 1898, portions were distributed globally, with a part gifted to the King of Siam (now Thailand), another one taken to England, and a part preserved at the Indian Museum in Calcutta (now Kolkata), the Ministry of Culture said. A selection of the relics retained by the descendants of Peppe who was of British descent was listed for auction on May 7 last year by Sotheby's Hong Kong. However, the auction was halted, and the relics returned to Ind
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the much-awaited Vande Bharat sleeper train between Guwahati and Kolkata later this month, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Thursday. "The services will become operational in the next 15-20 days, possibly around January 18 or 19. We have requested the prime minister and everything is clear. I will announce the exact date in the next two to three days," Vaishnaw said. He added that the 16-coach train, with a passenger capacity of 823, has a design speed of 180 kilometres per hour. However, it will operate at a speed of 120-130 kmph between the two cities, covering prominent districts of Assam and West Bengal. Both states are scheduled to go to polls this year. Calling the development a major milestone for the country, Vaishnaw said the ticket fares of the Vande Bharat sleeper train will be substantially lower compared to air travel. "In Vande Bharat sleeper, the 3rd-AC fare will be around Rs 2,300, 2nd-AC around Rs 3,000, and 1st-
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lashed out at rival Kerala blocs--the LDF and the UDF for playing a "fixed match" in the state and said it was going to come to an end post the BJP's maiden win in the city civic body. Th saffron party emerging victorious in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation was an "epoch-making" victory, he said in a letter to city Mayor V V Rajesh. He lauded Rajesh and the BJP leaders for the party coming to power in the state capital in the recently held local body elections. In the letter dated December 30, the PM said history was made in Thiruvananthapuram after the mayor and Deputy Mayor G S Asha Nath took oath. He said the party's success in Thiruvananthapuram was an indication that the people of Kerala, especially youngsters and women, were ready for a new dawn. According to him, the BJP-led NDA is emerging as the people's option, rooted in nationalism without exclusion, development without corruption and governance without appeasement. "The fixed match o
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday represented India at the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and handed over to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman a letter of condolences from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his meeting with Rahman, a front-runner for prime ministership in the February 12 parliamentary polls, Jaishankar expressed confidence that Zia's "vision and values" will guide the development of partnership between the two nations. Rahman, currently serving as the acting chairman of BNP, is the eldest son of Zia. The three-time Bangladesh prime minister and BNP matriarch died on Tuesday following a prolonged illness. In his letter, Modi warmly recalled his meeting and discussions with Zia during his visit to Dhaka in June 2015, adding she was a leader of "rare resolve and conviction". She made many important contributions to the development of Bangladesh, as well as to the strengthening of India-Bangladesh relations, Modi ..
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 3 will inaugurate an exposition of the sacred Piprahwa Relics, which will be hosted at a heritage site in Delhi, officials said. The relics, discovered in the late 19th century, are widely believed to be associated with the mortal remains of the Buddha, enshrined by the Shakya clan, they said. The Ministry of Culture, in a statement, said it is organising "a landmark cultural exposition titled 'Lotus Light: Relics of the Awakened One', showcasing the revered sacred Piprahwa Relics along with significant associated antiquities". The exposition underscores India's enduring civilisational connection with the teachings of the Buddha and its commitment to preserving and presenting its rich spiritual heritage, officials said. The prestigious exposition will be inaugurated by Modi on January 3 at the Rai Pithora cultural complex here, the ministry said. The recent repatriation of the relics and the public display reflect India's continued efforts t
The Congress on Wednesday termed Chinese claims of mediation between India and Pakistan concerning and said the people of India need clarity on the issue. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the claim, which he said seemed to make a joke of the country's national security. "President Trump has long claimed that he personally intervened to halt Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025. He has done so on 65 different occasions in various forums in at least seven different countries. The Prime Minister has never broken his silence on these claims made by his so-called good friend," Ramesh said in a post on X. "Now the Chinese Foreign Minister makes a similar claim and says China also mediated. On July 4, 2025, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Rahul Singh had publicly stated that during Operation Sindoor, India was actually confronting and combating China. "Given that China was decisively aligned with Pakistan, Chinese clai
India and China signed off 2025 on a positive note, trying to rebuild ties after over four years of fractious relations over the eastern Ladakh boundary conflict. The two countries set on a long road of normalisation after agreeing to end the border face-off in October 2024, bringing to an end years of tension since the 2020 Galwan clash. As peace prevailed at the borders, a key prerequisite for India to establish good relations with China, the two sides stepped up the dialogue process. NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Special Representatives of India and China on the boundary question, initiated steps towards gradually improving the relations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his visit to China in July, asserted that India and China should build on "good progress" in normalising the bilateral ties to address border-related issues, including de-escalation. In August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met at Tianjin under th