Ireland PM Varadkar arrives in Goa to celebrate New Year
Panaji: Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who has his roots in India, arrived on Monday in Goa where he would ring in the New Year, an official said.
Varadkar, who is currently on a private visit to India, would be staying at a plush resort in North Goa district, a senior police official said.
Security around the resort has been beefed up,he said. "Prime Minister Varadkar's visit is entirely private. There are no official functions planned during his visit. He would be in Goa till January 1 alongwith his family," he said.
He will take a flight from the Dabolim Airport here on January 1 afternoon to return to his country, the official added.
On Sunday, Varadkar along with his family members visited his ancestral village Varad in the coastal Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.
It was his first visit to the village, said Varadkar, who became prime minister ofIreland in June 2017. His father Ashok Varadkar, a doctor, moved to the United Kingdom in the 1960s.
The visit was a "special moment" as three generations of his family gathered at Varad, theIreland prime minister said after the villagers felicitated him. He also visited a temple of the village deity.
During an interaction with villagers, he said, "This is my fifth visit to India but first to Varad village where my grandfather and father have been brought up. It is a privilege and honour for me to visit this place."
The Ireland PM also said he knows a few words of Marathi, his father's language, but not enough for interaction.
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Passing out parade held at IMA Dehradun, 491 young officers join Indian Army
Dehradun(PTI): After undergoing rigorous training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, 491 cadets participated in a grand Passing Out Parade on Saturday and will now be commissioned as officers in the Indian Army.
The spectacular parade, held at the historic Drill Square in front of the academy's Chatwood Building, was reviewed by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who served as the reviewing officer.
Along with 491 Indian cadets, 34 foreign cadets from 14 friendly countries also participated in the Autumn Term 2025 Passing Out Parade.
A total of 525 officer cadets from the 157th Regular Course, 46th Technical Entry Scheme, 140th Technical Graduate Course, 55th Special Commissioned Officers Course, and Territorial Army Online Entrance Exam 2023 Course participated in the Passing Out Parade.
The 'Sword of Honour' and gold medal for securing first place during training was awarded to ACA Nishkal Dwivedi, the silver medal to BUO Badal Yadav for second place, and the bronze medal to SUO Kamaljeet Singh for third place.
The silver medal for securing first place in the 'Technical Graduate Course' was awarded to Officer Cadet Jadhav Sujit Sampat, and the silver medal for first place in the 'Technical Entry Scheme-46' was awarded to WCC Abhinav Mehrotra.
The silver medal for the 'Special Commission Officer Course' was given to Officer Cadet Sunil Kumar Chhetri.
Among the foreign cadets, the first place in merit was secured by JUO Mohammad Safin Ashraf from Bangladesh. The Army Chief's Banner for overall best performance in the Autumn Term was awarded to Imphal Company.
As the parade concluded, helicopters showered flowers on the newly commissioned officers from the sky.
On this occasion, General Dwivedi congratulated the new officers in his address for successfully completing their training. He praised the young officers for their high level of discipline, leadership qualities, and endurance, and urged them to uphold the glorious traditions of the Indian Army and serve the nation with loyalty, commitment, and honour.
General Dwivedi said that joining the army marks the beginning of a lifelong duty and selfless service.
The parents and guardians of the newly commissioned officers were also present during the passing out parade.
