BHUBANESWAR l monday l november 24, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l JEYPORE EDITION British Indian spy honoured with new stamp in France Noor Inayat Khan, Tipu Sultan’s descendant, has become the only Indian-origin woman honoured with a French postage stamp for her WWII role leading light of figures de resistance The French postal service, La Poste, honoured Noor with a stamp issued to honour the ‘Figures of the Resistance’ who fought against Nazi Germany. She is among a dozen war heroes and heroines chosen on the set of stamps issued this month to mark 80 years since the end of World War II. Britain honoured Noor in 2014 to mark the centenary of her birth moved to london after fall of france ■ Born Noor-un-Nisa Inayat Khan in Moscow in 1914 to an Indian Sufi saint father and American mother, Noor moved to London before settling in Paris for her school years ■ Following the fall of France during WWII, her family escaped to England and Noor joined the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force 30 years noor’s age when she was executed by nazi forces in 1944 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 first Mahe class anti-submarine vessel joins navy MAYAN K SIN G H @ New Delhi AMID Pakistan’s reported plans to boost its underwater combat strength, the Indian Navy will commission INS Mahe, the first of the Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, on Monday. The ceremony will be presided over by Ar my Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. Announcing the induction, the Navy said the commissioning of Mahe marks the arrival of a new generation of indigenous shallowwater combatants—sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian. “She will serve as a silent hunter on the Western Seaboard, powered by self-reliance and dedicated to safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers,” the Navy said. Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Mahe has more than 80 percent indigenous design, and highlights the country’s growing expertise in warship technology and qualities critical for coastal French Navy calls out Pak media misinformation and littoral operations. Equipped with advanced sensors and weapon systems, the vessel can conduct anti-submarine missions, coastal patrols, and minelaying operations. The Mahe-class ships, 78 metres long with a displacement of about 900 tonnes, can reach speeds up to 25 knots and have an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles. A total of 16 ASW-SWC vessels are being bu i l t — e i g h t e a ch at Cochin Shipyard and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata—under contracts signed in 2019. Named after the historic coastal town of Mahe, the ship’s crest features the Urumi, the flexible sword of Kalaripayattu, symbolising agility and lethal grace. These ships will strengthen coastal defence along India’s 7,516-km coastline and enhance Navy’s shallow-water anti-submarine capabilities. The induction is keeping in mind China’s Hangorclass submarine project for the Pakistan Navy . Claims made by Geo TV, attributed to a French commander, contained “misinformation and disinformation, it said | P7 PM moots global AI compact to check misuse Says critical technologies must be human-centric, not finance-centric; announces AI summit in India next year UN reforms a necessity, no longer optional: Modi J AYANT H J ACO B @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged world leaders at the G20 summit in Johannesburg to forge a global AI compact, and stressed the need to prevent misuse while harnessing artificial intelligence for inclusive and responsible global development. “We all have to ensure that AI is used for the global good and its misuse is avoided. For this, we need to create a global compact on AI that is based on some core principles,” Modi said, putting emphasis on oversight, safety-by-design, transparency , and strict restrictions on AI in dee pfakes, crime, and terrorism. “AI systems that affect human life, security, or public trust must be responsible and accountable. Most importantly , AI should enhance human capabilities, but the ultimate responsibility for decision-making will always remain with humans,” he said. The PM also announced that the AI Impact Summit to be hosted by India in February next year will be themed Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay (Welfare for all, Happiness for all) and invited all G20 countries to take part in the mission. He stressed the need to shift from “jobs of today” to “capabilities of tomorrow,” underlining the importance of constant innovation. Outlining India’s approach “At a time when the world appears fragmented and divided, IBSA can provide a message of Prime Minister Narendra unity cooperation, and human, Modi on Sunday made a strong ity,” Modi added, addressing appeal for reforms in the UN South African President Cyril Security Council and urged Ramaphosa and Brazil’s Presithat the India-Brazil-South Af- dent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. rica (IBSA) grouping should He called for institutionalissend a clear message that ing NSA-level meetings within changes to global governance IBSA to strengthen security coinstitutions are no ordination among the longer optional but a three countries in the pressing necessity . fight against terrorS p e a k i n g at t h e ism. “There is no place Global institutions IBSA leaders’ summit for any double standno longer on the sidelines on the represent today’s ards on such a serious G20 summit in Johan- world. Therefore, issue,” he added. nesburg, Modi under- IBSA must send a Modi also highlightscored the role of the unified message ed the potential of to the world: grouping in projecting technology in fosterinstitutional unity and cooperation ing human-centric dereform is not an at a time when the velopment. He prooption but a world appears increasposed an IBSA Digital prerogative ingly fragmented. Innovation Alliance to “First, we all agree facilitate the exchange Narendra Modi, PM that global institutions of digital public infrado not reflect the realities of structure, including India’s the 21st century None of us is a Unified Payments Interface, . permanent member of the UN health platfor ms such as Security Council. This clearly CoWIN, cybersecurity framedemonstrates that global insti- works, and women-led technoltutions no longer represent to- ogy initiatives. The alliance day’s world. Therefore, IBSA aims to help member countries must send a unified message to leverage digital innovation to the world: institutional reform drive inclusive growth while is not an option but a preroga- strengthening collaboration on tive,” Modi said. emerging technologies. Express news service @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends a session at the G20 Summit, in Johannesburg | AP to AI, Modi said it rests on three pillars of equitable access, population-scale skilling, and responsible deployment. “Under the India-AI Mission, we are creating accessible high-performance computing so that the benefits of AI reach every district and every language,” he told the G 20 leaders. The PM emphasised that technology must be human-centric, global, and open-source rather than Modi meets key leaders Modi held a series of meetings on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. He separately met the prime ministers of Japan, Netherlands and Jamaica, and IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva finance-centric, national, or exclusive. “We have to promote technology applications that are ‘human centric’ instead of ‘finance centric’, which are ‘global’ instead of ‘national’ and ‘open source’ instead of ‘exclusive models’. We have tried to integrate this vision in all technology projects of India.” He cited India’s leadership in digital payments and its effective response during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering vaccines and medicines to more than 150 countries, to underline the potential of inclusive technological and economic growth. “Development should be sustainable, business should be trusted, finance should be fair, and progress should bring allinclusive prosperity the prime ,” minister said. This is the first G20 summit held in Africa. Pradhan bats for inclusion of 14 castes in central OBC list Express News Service @ Bhubaneswar Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) chairman Hansraj Ahir urging him to include 14 specific castes or communities currently in the Odisha State Backward Classes (SEBC) list in the central Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. In a letter to Ahir, Pradhan, a strong votary of OBC rights, requested him to include Khandayat, Paik, Chasa Paik, Alia, Paikali, Kalingi Shudra Khandayat, Mahanayak Shudra, OdiKhandayat, Bayalisha, Oda, Oda Paik, Oda Paiko, Haladia Teli, and Rajashribalasi/Balasi castes in the central OBC list.” “Many communities in the state SEBC list are not in the central OBC list. As a result, people of these communities Dharmendra Pradhan waves a gamcha during a rally in Jharsuguda on Sunday are being deprived of availing the benefits of reservation in central government jobs, central educational and technical/ professional institutions and various welfare schemes. Inclusion of these castes in the central OBC list will lead to their socio-economic development and be a crucial step in giving them their rights,” said Pradhan. In the last week of October, the NCBC chairman had held a public hearing in Bhubaneswar where representatives of more than 50 backward class communities submitted memorandum demanding direction to the state government for a fresh census of OBCs and providing 27 per cent reservation to them in both education and employment. The state government has been providing 11.25 per cent reservation to SEBCs in government jobs and higher education leaving medical, technical and other professional courses out of the reservation purview. As OBCs in the state constitute more than 50 per cent of the population, there has been a strong demand to increase the quota from 11.25 per cent to 27 per cent as implemented by the central government. In the absence of quantifiable data, the OBCs are unable to fight their cases in legal forums, activists said. express read Top ULFA leader lays down arms Guwahati: The Paresh Baruah faction of banned insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) suffered a setback on Sunday when one of its top leaders, Arunodoi Dohutia, also known as Arunodoi Asom, surrendered before security forces. Dohutia gave up arms along with his personal security officer Francis Asom near Pangsau Pass on the India–Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh | P8 Full military honours at cremation for Tejas pilot WRAPPING UP A Ferris wheel being dismantled after the Balijatra festivities in Cuttack | Rashmiranjan Mohapatra Chandigarh: Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the Indian Air Force pilot who died in Tejas fighter jet crash during the Dubai Air Show, was cremated on Sunday in his native village, Patialkhad in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, with military honours. His mortal remains were taken from the airport to Patialkhad, where the villagers, family members and officials gathered to pay their tributes | P8 Anti-drone systems at all civilian airports, shortly Health dept ‘undervalues’ Jagannath m u k e s h r a n j a n @ New Delhi THE Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) at a joint meeting, held recently have decided to deploy , anti-drone systems at all major and minor civil airports in view of “a possible war-like situation emerging in future,” officials said on Sunday . According to them, initially, it has been decided to install the system at major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar and also Jammu and Srinagar. The decision has been taken in view of the experience gathered during ‘Operation Sindoor’ and also due to global military escalations that have featured an increased use of drones. It is reliably learnt from of- ficials that the anti-drone equipment will thwart any possible attack using ro gue drones. The system will be installed for the first time at civilian airports only a senior official told , this paper on Sunday . The decision was arrived at after multiple high-level meetings. Though the MHA has been overseeing the project, a committee has been constituted by the BCAS, with members drawn from aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and other stakeholders. Officials said the modalities and specifications of the equipment are cur rently being looked into and once everything is finalised, the MHA will coordinate with the Ministry of Civil Aviation in implementing and commissioning the project. However, officials said the entire project would be commissioned only in a phased manner, with sensitive airports express illustration like Delhi, Mumbai, Amritsar, Srinagar and Jammu covered in the first phase followed by the scheme being rolled out in the remaing airports. A senior official in the know said, “The authorities will fix deadlines for commissioning the equipment at different airports only after finalization of specifications ... then airport operators will be directed to install the technology that fits our criteria. Models successfully existing at other airports outside India are also being examined for ef fective implementation.” temple land, asked to pay `35.5 cr more Hemant Kumar Rout @ Bhubaneswar In what could be a curious case of undervaluation, the Health and Family Welfare department has been directed to pay an additional `35.5 crore to the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) for the 25 acre temple land it acquired for setting up the Shree Jagannath Medical College and Hospital (SJMCH) in Puri in 2021. Undervaluation of land is often associated with property dealers, but the revelation that a government department allegedly underpriced Shree Jagannath temple land has left many within the administration surprised. The matter sur- The deal for 25-acre land was processed at a price which was far from realistic, triggering concerns within SJTA about the loss of significant revenue meant for the temple’s corpus fund. Officials faced when the chief administrator of SJTA raised objections in January last year, pointing out that the Health department had paid only `2 crore in 2020 for the sprawling 25-acre plot, an amount far below the existing benchmark valuation. According to officials, the deal was processed at a price which was far from realistic, triggering concerns within SJTA about the loss of significant revenue meant for the temple’s corpus fund. The 25-acre land parcel consisting of seven plots in different kisams in Samangara mouza, a prime location under Puri tehsil, was utilised for establishment of SJMCH, pending sale deed registration and record of rights (RoR) issuance. The SJTA claimed that as per the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, the managing committee of the shrine is competent to decide on such transactions. Continued on P5