A prominent face of the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP), Kalyan Singh served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh twice and played a key role in the party's rise in the state. Singh, who headed the first-ever BJP government in the state, was the Chief Minister when the Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. He was also at the forefront of the Ram Mandir movement and was considered an icon of Hindu Nationalism.
Singh was born to Tejpal Singh Lodi and Sita Devi in Aligarh district in 1932. He served as a volunteer of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) while studying in school. He was a small-time wrestler and also worked as a teacher in Uttar Pradesh. Singh tied knot with Ramwati Devi and has a son and a daughter.
Singh made his political debut in 1967 when he entered the Uttar Pradesh Legislative as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Atrauli and retained the seat till 1980. He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 1991 and he tendered his resignation after the Babri Masjid demolition conflict in 1992.
He became the Chief Minister of the state in 1997 but left the party and formed the 'Rashtriya Kranti Party', owing to some differences. He returned to BJP in 2004 and was elected to the Parliament from the Bulandshahr Lok Sabha constituency.
He again won the 2009 general elections as an independent candidate from Etah and joined the Samajwadi Party in the same year. He again came back to BJP in 2013 and became the Governor of Rajasthan in 2014.
A special CBI court acquitted him in connection to its summons in the Babri Masjid demolition case in 2020. He breathed his last on August 21, 2021, in Lucknow due to multiple organ failure.
On this Special Report, Gaurav Sawant examines the significant diplomatic visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi. Despite the short duration, Gaurav Sawant notes that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the summit as 'short, but it was substantive,' reflecting the deep personal and strategic bond between the two nations. The discussions resulted in key agreements, including a strategic defense partnership, space infrastructure cooperation, and a long-term LNG supply deal making the UAE India's second-largest supplier. Gaurav Sawant highlights the timing of the visit amidst West Asian turmoil, including Iran-US tensions and the Yemen conflict. The report also details the cultural exchange, where PM Modi gifted a traditional Gujarati 'Jhula' and a Kashmiri Pashmina shawl to the UAE President, symbolizing family togetherness and India's rich heritage. Analysts Sushant Sareen and Pranay Upadhyay join the discussion to explore India's evolving role in the GCC region's complex geopolitics.
This news bulletin provides the latest updates on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election results, where the Mahayuti alliance has emerged as the leading force. The unidentified speaker notes that 'the BJP has managed to cross the majority mark' in Mumbai, leading in 112 wards, while the Thackeray-led faction stands at 77. Out of 227 wards, counting is complete in 187, with 10 wards facing delays due to display issues and 30 wards still being processed. Reports from the ground highlight celebrations at the BJP headquarters, where leaders credited party workers and the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray for the performance. The trends indicate a consolidation of votes in the western suburbs and South Mumbai for the BJP, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) maintains strength in Marathi-dominated pockets like Lalbaug and Parel. The programme also covers the Mahayuti's strong performance in satellite cities like Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Navi Mumbai, solidifying their position across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
In this special report, India Today’s Foreign Affairs Editor Pranay Upadhyay tracks the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. Upadhyay reports that President Putin, whose aircraft is the 'most tracked flight on open source', is set to land at 6:30 PM and will be received by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. The visit marks a significant media moment as Putin has granted his first exclusive interview to an Indian network, India Today, in decades. The report details the agenda, including a private dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg and ongoing delegation-level talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov .
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday at his residence on 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on January 25 shared a list with the names of personalities who will be conferred with the Padma awards this year. As many as 128 personalities from different fields will be honoured with the Padma Awards. The list comprises four Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards. Out of 128 awardees, 34 are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 Posthumous awardees.
A Lucknow CBI court has acquitted 32 accused in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case. Among those acquitted are former Deputy PM LK Advani along with senior BJP leaders Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh.
Top names in the Babri Masjid demolition case, including the likes of BJP veterans LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh and Mahant Nrityagopal Das remained absent from the court at the time of delivery of verdict.
