Army places emergency order Indian Army has contracted Pune-based defence manufacturer Nibe Ltd to procure equipment and ammunition for its universal rocket launchers Rockets to have striking range of 300 km chennai l Saturday l January 03, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l late city EDITION “The Company has entered into Supply Contract with the Indian Army for Manufacturing and Supply of Ground Equipment, Accessories, ESP and Ammunition for Universal Rocket Launcher System capable of integrating multiple rocket types including rockets striking at ranges of 150 km and 300 km for a consideration of `292.69 cr,” Nibe said in an exchange filing Order to bring Israeli firm’s ‘Puls’ systems to India In July 2025, NIBE had entered into an agreement with Elbit Systems, Israel to manufacture PULS multiple rocket launcher systems in India. Sources said the latest order is for PULS | P10 12 The order is supposed to be executed and delivered within 12 months CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Dinamani boxed item led me to V-P’s office: CPR E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai I am really affirmed that stories from the farthest places in the map also belong to the centre of the literary world in India Subi Taba, RNGSS winner for Best Fiction History, politics, biographies... people, all come alive as narrative non-fiction Sudeep Chakravarti, RNGSS awardee for Best Non-Fiction I hope this award will help in putting the lives of workers at the forefront, who don’t even get a minimum daily wage Neha Dixit, RNGSS awardee for Best Debut Vice President of India C P Radhakrishnan and The New Indian Express group Chairman Manoj Kumar Sonthalia, his wife Kalpana Sonthalia, TNIE CEO Lakshmi Menon, Editor Santwana Bhattacharya, Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla, Dinamani Editor K Vaidiyanathan, TN ministers Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and Ma Subramanian with the Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman recipients Dr Chandrashekhara Kambara, Neha Dixit, Subi Taba and Sudeep Chakravarthi, at an event in Chennai on Friday | Ashwin Prasath Fearless journalism, literature vital for democracy, says V-P E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai Stressing that no nation can emerge without fearless journalism and deep literature, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Friday said freedom of expression remains the cornerstone of Indian democracy. He was speaking at the third edition of the Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman (RNGSS), The New Indian Express (TNIE) group’s annual literary award honouring excellence in Indian writing, which was held in the city . At the event, legendary playwright Dr Chandrashekhara Kambara was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his decadeslong contribution to literature, particularly Kannada poetry, theatre and folklore-based writing. Kambara is among India’s most revered literary figures — a Kannada writer, thinker, playwright, folklorist and theatre activist whose life’s work has profoundly shaped the nation’s cultural imagination. Subi Taba won the RNGSS for Best Fiction for Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains, Sudeep Chakravarti received the award for Best Non-Fiction for Fallen City: A Double Murder Political , Insanity, and Delhi’s Descent from Grace, while Neha Dixit won the Best Debut award for The Many Lives of Syeda X: The Story of an Unknown Indian. Speaking at the event, Vice President Radhakrishnan paid rich tributes to Ramnath Goenka, doyen of Indian print journalism and the visionary founder of The New Indian Express group, saying he stood firm for journalistic integrity, intellectual courage and democratic values during some of the most challenging periods in the nation’s history . “Goenka remains the conscience keeper of Indian democracy. His commitment to fearless expression continues to inspire generations,” he said. Recalling Goenka’s resistance during Emergency, the Vice President said he demonstrated the power of silence by publishing a blank editorial as a mark of protest a g ainst press censorship. Addressing the gathering, TNIE CMD Manoj Kumar Sonthalia said the award was a tribute to writers who wield the pen with courage, imagination and integrity . He recalled the legacy of Ramnath Goenka, describing him as a steadfast believer in the power of the printed word, not merely as a vehicle for news, but as an engine of ideas and an instrument of change. TN ministers Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and Ma Subramanian, TNIE Editor Santwana Bhattacharya, Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla, CEO Lakshmi Menon and Dinamani Editor K Vaidiyanathan participated. Recalling that reading a news item in Tamil daily Dinamani, a sister publication of the TNIE group, shaped his political journey and eventually led him to one of the country’s highest constitutional offices, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Friday said fearless journalism has the power to change lives, as he paid tribute to Ramnath Goenka at the third edition of the Ramnath Goenka Sahitya Samman (RNGSS) in Chennai. The Vice President said a boxed item carried next to Dinamani’s masthead, a format which has now changed, reported a protest by the Jana Sangh, the predecessor of the BJP, against the Turkish Consulate in Delhi. The protest was against TurGoenka believed key’s decision to ban ideas must books written by former circulate freely, President S Radquestions must hakrishnan, including be asked — The Hindu View of Life. and more “Nobody questioned it importantly, (book ban) at that time. answered Only Jana Sangh, under the leadership of Vijay Kumar Malhotra ji, staged a dharna outside the Turkish Consulate. That impressed me,” he said. Radhakrishnan added that he spent nearly a year searching for the party before eventually joining Jana Sangh, a decision, which he said, has now led him to the office of the Vice President. Radhakrishnan described Ramnath Goenka as a towering figure who stood firm for journalistic integrity intellectual cour, age and democratic values during some of the most challenging periods in the nation’s history  . Continued on: P9 express read Do not glorify drug abuse in films: Stalin Tiruchy: Flagging off Vaiko’s ‘Equality March’ in Tiruchy, CM MK Stalin on Friday said the glorification of drug abuse in films can devastate the future of youth, and urged artistes to act with social responsibility | P4 Heavy rain lashes parts of south TN & Nilgiris Tenkasi: Heavy rain lashed parts of southern TN, including Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli, on Thursday night and Friday. In Coonoor, landslips forced railways to cancel the Nilgiri Mountain Railway | P7 Grok AI ordered to remove vulgar content The government on Friday issued a notice to Elon Musk-led social media platform X to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene and unlawful content generated by its AI app Grok, or face action