Author: Supriya Jena

On Friday, Amit Shah, India’s Union Home Minister, praised Tamil culture, language, and traditions, emphasizing they are a vital part of India’s identity. He spoke at the 56th raising day parade of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in Thakkolam.

Shah highlighted that the whole country recognizes the importance of Tamil language and culture, especially during discussions about federalism and language identity in Tamil Nadu. This state has a history of resisting the push for Hindi and has fought for the pride of the Tamil language since the 1900s, wanting more control over how their language is used in schools and government.

During his speech, Shah announced the CISF training center will be renamed after the brave Chola warrior, Rajaditya Chola. He expressed his admiration for Rajaditya, saying he dedicated his life to protecting his culture and shared tales of bravery from the Chola kingdom.

Shah also hopes Tamil Nadu will join other states in offering medical and engineering courses in their own language. He believes this will help the Tamil people connect more with their roots and provide equal opportunities. He encouraged the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to make this vision a reality, noting that no steps have been taken yet towards this goal.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised a special wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center called Vantara. This center was opened by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Vantara is a huge facility, covering 3,000 acres, and it helps more than 150,000 rescued animals from over 2,000 different species.

During his visit to Gujarat, Modi opened Vantara on Sunday and spent time getting to know the animals there. He thanked Anant Ambani and his team for their kind work in creating this center. “Vantara is a great example of how we should protect our planet’s animals,” Modi said in a post on X.

While visiting, Modi saw many animals that had suffered from cruelty. For example, he met an elephant that had been hurt in an acid attack and other elephants that lost their eyesight due to their handlers. He emphasized how important it is to treat animals with kindness and not be careless.

Modi also saw a lioness that had been hit by a car and was getting the care she needed. He mentioned a leopard cub that was abandoned by its family but is now being well taken care of at Vantara. He applauded the staff for their dedication to helping animals.

When he toured the center, Modi interacted with many animals. He petted an okapi, played with chimps, and hugged an orangutan. He also fed a giraffe and a rhino calf and saw various other amazing animals, like snow tigers and giant otters.

A special part of Vantara is the elephant hospital, which is the largest in the world. Modi also learned about hydrotherapy pools that help elephants recover from injuries, showing how Vantara cares for its animals.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has announced that China is ready to collaborate with India to improve their relationship this year, which marks 75 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. At a press conference, Wang Yi expressed optimism about past progress and highlighted a meeting last year between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a key moment for strengthening their connection.

Wang stated, “China and India are each other’s largest neighbors. We should work together as friends to help each other succeed.” He emphasized that both nations have important roles as major developing countries and should support one another instead of competing.

Wang also mentioned their shared goal of maintaining peace, especially concerning their borders, and urged that their relationship shouldn’t be defined by disagreements over borders. Both countries, he said, should stand together against global power struggles and work towards a better future for both nations and the world, especially for the Global South.

Meanwhile, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had a positive meeting with Wang Yi at the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in South Africa. He appreciated the chance to discuss cooperation, noting the importance of working together during difficult times. Their talks have led to better communication and efforts to manage their relationship, including discussions about border issues.