Punjab

• An SIT probe into donation theft at the Ram Temple revealed systemic failures, including CCTV blind spots, relaxed frisking protocols, and a flawed cash-counting system. • Journalists Bhupendra Pandey, Manish Sahu, and Deeptiman Tiwary analyze the report and the unique operational structure of the Trust managing the temple. • C Raja Mohan examines the "G Minus Two" Indo-Pacific order, arguing that middle powers like India and Indonesia will be critical as US-China rivalry intensifies.

• The Congress party is facing a recurring crisis in Punjab as internal infighting disrupts its strategic planning for the upcoming state elections. • This instability threatens to shift the electoral narrative into a direct "Modi versus Rahul" contest, a dynamic that has historically favored the BJP over the last decade. • The internal turmoil is significant because it may alienate voters and weaken the party's ability to present a united front against its opponents.

• The Congress party is planning a leadership reshuffle within its Punjab unit to prepare for the upcoming assembly elections. • The decision to restructure the leadership has reportedly intensified internal factionalism and created confusion among party members. • This move matters as the party seeks to unify its ranks and strengthen its organizational structure to remain competitive in the state.

• Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in the 4th match of the Indian Premier League 2026, finishing with a score of 165/7 in 19.1 overs. • Gujarat Titans posted 162/6, with Cooper Connolly delivering a standout performance of 72 runs off 44 balls. • The victory highlights Punjab Kings' early momentum in the tournament and showcases the impact of Connolly's aggressive batting.

• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann honored 1,070 medal-winning athletes and 87 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award recipients from 2019-2023, distributing ₹32 crore in prize money. • To clear the awards backlog, most funds were sent via direct benefit transfer, while Olympic and Asian Games medallists received ₹1 crore each and nine players were granted jobs. • The state is investing heavily in grassroots sports, allocating a record ₹1,763-crore budget for 2026-27 and spending ₹1,300 crore to develop 3,148 rural sports grounds.

The Last Princesses of Punjab opens on Thursday at Kensington PalaceThe extraordinary life of an exiled Punjabi princess, embraced by the British royal court and a goddaughter of Queen Victoria, but who would become a pioneering suffragette and challenge the very authority of the elite social circles in which she moved, is to be told in a new exhibition.Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was the daughter of Duleep Singh, the last Sikh maharajah of the Punjab. As a child he was forced to surrender his lands to the East India Company in 1849, and sign away the famous Koh-i-noor diamond, now a potent symbol of colonial exploitation and set in the crown of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Continue reading...