Dharmendra, Achuthanandan awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously, actor Mammootty awarded Padma Bhushan

NEW DELHI, Jan 25: Government announces 131 Padma awards for year 2026, including 5 Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri. Former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, actor Dharmendra, JMM founder Shibu Soren awarded Padma Vibhushan (posthumously). Playback singer Alka Yagnik, former Uttarakhand CM Bhagat Singh Koshyari, actor Mammootty and banker Uday Kotak awarded Padma Bhushan. Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur awarded Padma Shri.

The Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian honours of India, are announced every year on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan for exceptional and distinguished service; Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of higher order and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field of activity.

There ought to be an element of public service in the achievements of the person to be selected for these Awards.

Earlier in the day, a total of 982 Personnel of Police, Fire, Home Guard and Civil Defence (HG&CD) and Correctional Services were awarded gallantry and service medals on the eve of Republic Day 2026.

Sir Mark Tully, the BBC's 'voice of India', dies aged 90

NEW DELHI, Jan 25: The broadcaster and journalist Sir Mark Tully - for many years known as the BBC's "voice of India" - has died at the age of 90.

For decades, the rich, warm tones of Sir Mark were familiar to BBC audiences in Britain and around the world - a much-admired foreign correspondent and respected reporter and commentator on India. He covered war, famine, riots and assassinations, the Bhopal gas tragedy and the Indian army's storming of the Sikh Golden Temple.

In the small north Indian city of Ayodhya in 1992, he faced a moment of real peril. He witnessed a huge crowd of Hindu hardliners tear down an ancient mosque. Some of the mob - suspicious of the BBC - threatened him, chanting "Death to Mark Tully". He was locked in a room for several hours before a local official and a Hindu priest came to his aid.

The demolition provoked the worst religious violence in India for many decades - it was, he said years later, the "gravest setback" to secularism since the country's independence from Britain in 1947.

"We are sad to hear the passing of Sir Mark Tully," Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, said in a statement. "As one of the pioneers of foreign correspondents, Sir Mark opened India to the world through his reporting, bringing the vibrancy and diversity of the country to audiences in the UK and around the world.

"His public service commitments and dedication to journalism saw him work as a bureau chief in Delhi, and report for outlets across the BBC. Widely respected in both India and the UK, he was a joy to speak with and will be greatly missed."

India was where Sir Mark was born - in what was then Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1935. He was a child of the British Raj. His father was a businessman. His mother had been born in Bengal - her family had worked in India as traders and administrators for generations.

He was brought up with an English nanny who once chided him for learning to count by copying the family's driver: "that's the servants' language, not yours", he was told. He eventually became fluent in Hindi, a rare achievement in Delhi's foreign press corps and one which endeared him to many Indians for whom he was always "Tully sahib". His good cheer and evident affection for India won him the friendship and trust of many of the top rank of the country's politicians, editors and social activists.

Throughout his life, he performed a balancing act: English, without doubt; but not - he insisted - an expat who was passing through India. He had roots there; it was his home. It's where he lived for three-quarters of his life.

Immediately after World War Two, at the age of nine, Sir Mark came to Britain for his education. He studied history and theology at Cambridge and then headed to theological college with the aim of being ordained as a clergyman before he - and the church - had second thoughts.

He was sent to India for the BBC in 1965 - at first as an administrative assistant, but in time he began to take on a reporting role. His broadcasting style was idiosyncratic, but his strength of character and his insight into India shone through.

A special edition of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge to be organized in 2026 for the Franco-Indian Year of Innovation

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: The Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India, in partnership with Reliance Industries Limited, the United Nations in India and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, are pleased to announce a special Indo-French edition of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge to be held in 2026, as part of the India-France Year of Innovation.

Originating in India and developed in collaboration with the United Nations in India and Lakmē Fashion week, the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge has emerged as an international platform that supports young designers and entrepreneurs in India and globally, working at the intersection of fashion, sustainability, and innovation. By encouraging circular design practices across the fashion and textile value chain, the initiative nurtures new generations of designers committed to responsible and forward-looking approaches.

The 2026 edition will reflect a shared ambition between France and India to strengthen collaboration in sustainable fashion and creative innovation. With French fashion celebrated worldwide, and the growing presence of Indian designers in the Paris Fashion Week calendar, this partnership seeks to highlight a common need to rethink, produce and create differently. Following the “Textile Matters: Woven stories between India and France” exhibition that ended on 4th January in Paris, showcasing, among other works, fashion silhouettes that illustrate the mixed influences between France and India, the French Embassy is keen to team with a renowned Indian platform such as R|ElanTM CDC to give a new platform to young talents who will grow into the next generation of makers and passeurs.

As part of this collaboration, French designers in sustainable and circular fashion will be identified and the regional European jury will be held in Paris this summer, in close collaboration with the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode which has agreed to be the institutional partner for this year. The initiative will also constitute a dedicated Indo-French jury with prestigious French fashion industry professionals. The partnership will culminate in the international finale and fashion showcase of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, to be held during Lakmē Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI in Delhi in October 2026, with the showcase hosted at the Embassy of France in India.

This collaboration underscores the role of cultural and creative industries in addressing global sustainability challenges and strengthens long-term dialogue between French and Indian institutions in the field of fashion and innovation.

About the French Institute in India, Embassy of France in India

The French Institute in India (Institut français India / IFI), a section of the Embassy of France in India, is dedicated to fostering meaningful people-to-people ties between France and India.

As the cultural, educational, and scientific wing of the French diplomatic mission, IFI drives a wide spectrum of collaborations. These range from promoting academic and scientific partnerships between universities and research institutes, to advancing student mobility and the learning of the French language. IFI also actively connects artists, scholars, NGOs, entrepreneurs, film professionals, publishers, and institutions across sectors.

At the heart of our mission lies a strong commitment to artistic and cultural partnerships—in performance, literature, cinema, fashion, design, and more. IFI regularly convenes forums, festivals, and debates that bring together the brightest minds and creative forces from both nations. For more info: www.ifindia.in

About the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode

The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) gathers the world's most renowned luxury and creative houses, selected for their creativity and unique, innovative expertise and savoir-faire, along with the most talented emerging brands. It organises Paris Fashion Week® and Haute Couture Week, structuring the Official Calendars and its adjacent activities. The FHCM serves a dual mission: as a Professional Organisation, it provides services to its Members and represents them within the professional ecosystem and towards public authorities in France and Europe. As an Event Organisation, it aims to consolidate Paris as the fashion capital of the world. Visit us at www.fhcm.paris and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

About Reliance Industries Limited:

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is India’s largest private sector company, with a consolidated revenue of INR 10,71,174 crore (US$ 125.3 billion), cash profit of INR 1,46,917 crore (US$ 17.2 billion) and net profit of INR 81,309 crore (US$ 9.5 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2025. Reliance’s activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, advanced materials and composites, renewables (solar and hydrogen), retail, digital services and media and entertainment. Currently ranked 88th, Reliance is the largest private sector company from India to be featured in Fortune’s Global 500 list of ‘World’s Largest Companies’ for 2025. The company stands 45th in the Forbes Global 2000 rankings of ‘World’s Largest Public Companies’ for 2025, the highest among Indian companies. Reliance has been recognized in Time’s list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2024, making it the only Indian company to have achieved this honour twice. Website: www.ril.com

About R|Elan

R|Elan is the next-gen fabric that has been created from specially engineered fibers and yarns using cutting-edge technological expertise, state-of-the-art R&D, and the robust testing systems of Reliance Industries. These smart fabrics have been designed to enhance comfort and aesthetics and are being increasingly sought after by renowned domestic and global brands, retailers, and apparel manufacturers. The technologies that power R|Elan™ fabric impart several attributes such as moisture management, odour-free, and thermal insulation while ensuring that they contribute something back to Mother Earth.

About Lakmē Fashion Week

Lakmē Fashion Week is India's premier fashion & lifestyle event curating experiences and redefining fashion for over 25 years. With over 100 designers, brands & industry stakeholders interfacing every season through the 5 days of showcases, Lakmē Fashion Week has established itself as the hub for emerging talent, sustainability and business of fashion.

About United Nations in India

The UN Team in India comprises 26 UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes operating in India. The UN provides strategic support to India to help the country achieve its aspirations to end poverty and inequality and promote sustainable development in line with the globally agreed SDGs. The UN also supports India, as the world’s largest democracy, in the country’s ambitious commitments to rapid change and development priorities, including its leadership to enhance resource efficiency across sectors, transition to circular economy and promote sustainable lifestyles.