Padma Awards 2026
President Droupadi Murmu has conferred the prestigious Padma Awards 2026 to 66 distinguished personalities at a special ceremony. A total of 131 awardees are selected this year across fields. Among the Padma Shri awardees is Odisha’s eminent tribal litterateur and researcher Mahendra Kumar Mishra. Four personalities from Odisha have been honoured with the Padma Shri this year.

Odisha CM Meets PM
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi met Prime Minister NarendraModi in New Delhi today. Majhi discussed the strategic acceleration of Odisha’s infrastructure development, enhancement of investment opportunities, and implementation of key public welfare initiatives. He also extended a cordial invitation to PM for the celebration marking two years of Odisha government’s dedicated service to the people of Odisha.

Fuel Prices Hiked Again
Fuel prices across India were hiked once again on Monday, marking the fourth increase in less than two weeks amid surging global crude oil prices due to West Asia conflict. Petrol prices were increased by Rs 2.61 per litre, while diesel rates went up by Rs 2.71 per litre. Following the latest revision, petrol in Bhubaneswar rose to Rs 108.97 per litre, while diesel touched Rs 100.67 per litre.

Debashish Samantaray Resigns
Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray resigned from the primary membership of Biju Janata Dal, stating that he felt he was being “systematically belittled” within the party and that the organisation no longer required his services.

Accused Shot in Police Encounter
An accused who attacked a man with a sharp weapon in Odisha was shot in a police encounter, hours after a video of the assault went viral, sources said Monday. According to the source, the incident took place in Ambika Nagar locality in Berhampur, where a youth was allegedly attacked by two youths identified with sharp weapons.

Titilagarh Hits 45.8°C
Odisha is facing a severe heatwave with the IMD issuing alerts across several districts for the next three days. The state has been gripped by scorching temperatures, with Titilagarh recording a maximum of 45.8°C in the past 24 hours, while 18 districts reported temperatures above 41°C.

India Enters Wi-Fi 7 Era
India’s digital connectivity received a major boost on Monday as TP-Link India began local manufacturing of its Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, starting with the Omada EAP770, following the government’s 6 GHz spectrum delicense and push for domestic electronics and next gen telecom infrastructure.

Truck Rams into Tata Ace
A goods-laden truck rammed into a Tata Ace on Bhubaneswar’s Khandagiri flyover while it was preparing to tow a stranded pickup van late Sunday night. The collision severely damaged both vehicles, including the pickup van, which was stranded on the flyover due to a mechanical breakdown.