Congress MP Shashi Tharoor declined the Veer Savarkar Award, calling organizers irresponsible for announcing his name without consent. He learned of the award through media reports and stated he neither knew about nor accepted it. HRDS India, however, claims they notified Tharoor and visited him to extend the invitation. NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday declined to accept the ‘Veer Savarkar Award’, calling the organisers “irresponsible” for announcing his name without him having agreed to receive it.Tharoor was named among the first winners of the newly instituted Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025, to be presented by Highrange Rural Development Society India. ‘Engaging Atmosphere Reigned’: Shashi Tharoor After State Dinner With Russian President Putin “I have come to know from media reports that I have been named a recipient of the “Veer Savarkar Award,” which is to be presented today in Delhi. I only learned about this announcement yesterday in Kerala, where I had gone to vote in the local self-government elections. There in Thiruvananthapuram, responding to media queries, I had clarified that I was neither aware of, nor had accepted, such an award and it was irresponsible on the part of the organisers to announce my name without my having agreed to receive it,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said in a post on X.”Despite that, today in Delhi, some media outlets continue to ask the same question. Therefore, I am issuing this statement to clarify the matter unequivocally. In the absence of clarifications about the nature of the award, the organization presenting it or any other contextual details, the question of my attending the event today or accepting the award does not arise,” he added.After Tharoor’s remarks, Aji Krishnan, secretary of the HRDS India said that the Congress MP had been notified about it well ahead of time, PTI reported citing a TV channel.He added that HRDS India representatives and the jury chair had visited Tharoor at his home to extend the invitation, during which the MP requested a list of the other awardees.Kerala law minister P Rajeev had said that the choice to accept or decline the award rested entirely with Tharoor.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAmazon Announces Landmark $35B Investment In India To Drive Digital TransformationPakistan Army Spokesperson Faces Backlash for Winking at Reporter in Viral VideoSingapore Leader Says India Achieved Reforms Once Seen Impossible, Praises Scale and Global ClarityImran Khan’s Sisters Allege Illegal Isolation, Stage Protest Outside Adiala JailRussian President Putin Praises India’s Unity in Diversity, Calls It A Blueprint For Big NationsUS Consumers Facing Food Inflation as Tariffs Hit Indian Rice Imports: Exporters Body’Singapura Derived From Sanskrit’: Singapore’s Ex-Deputy PM Highlights India’s InfluenceInterpol Blue Notice Explained: How CBI Tracks Absconding Luthra Brothers In Goa Nightclub Fire CaseIndia At The Centre: How The New US Security Blueprint Plans To Deepen Strategic Ties With DelhiBJP’s Nishikant Dubey Counters Rahul Gandhi, Accuses Cong Of Weakening India’s Key Institutions123PhotostoriesPediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease on the rise: What Hyderabad doctor wants parents to know to reduce the occurrence?10 child stars who are proud parents nowBengaluru’s Yeshwantpur station revamp — Rs 380-cr upgrade powering ahead toward a world-class stationWhich Birth Numbers Are Guided By Their AncestorsTravel back 1,000 years: 10 ancient temples in India still standing and open to travellers8 habits smart people find calming that drive others crazyBoiled eggs vs omelette: Which one deserves a place on a heart-healthy plate?Nine Planets and Their Connection With Ramayana3 reasons to drink Apple Cider Vinegar, Fenugreek and Turmeric concoction daily; recipe insideWhich deity is guiding you right now? Your date of birth reveals the connection123Hot PicksCandace OwensCharlie KirkWorld NewsGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingGracie MansionUAE Player TimingAnthony Richardson InjuryTriston JarryVenus Williams and Andrea Net WorthSlient Hill 1 Remake Release DateRafael Nadal and Mery Net WorthTrey Benson Injury updateUPPSC PET ResultGurgaon Man Chicken Momos
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday declined to accept the ‘Veer Savarkar Award’, calling the organisers “irresponsible” for announcing his name without him having agreed to receive it.Tharoor was named among the first winners of the newly instituted Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025, to be presented by Highrange Rural Development Society India.
“I have come to know from media reports that I have been named a recipient of the “Veer Savarkar Award,” which is to be presented today in Delhi. I only learned about this announcement yesterday in Kerala, where I had gone to vote in the local self-government elections. There in Thiruvananthapuram, responding to media queries, I had clarified that I was neither aware of, nor had accepted, such an award and it was irresponsible on the part of the organisers to announce my name without my having agreed to receive it,” the Thiruvananthapuram MP said in a post on X.“Despite that, today in Delhi, some media outlets continue to ask the same question. Therefore, I am issuing this statement to clarify the matter unequivocally. In the absence of clarifications about the nature of the award, the organization presenting it or any other contextual details, the question of my attending the event today or accepting the award does not arise,” he added.After Tharoor’s remarks, Aji Krishnan, secretary of the HRDS India said that the Congress MP had been notified about it well ahead of time, PTI reported citing a TV channel.He added that HRDS India representatives and the jury chair had visited Tharoor at his home to extend the invitation, during which the MP requested a list of the other awardees.Kerala law minister P Rajeev had said that the choice to accept or decline the award rested entirely with Tharoor.
![Zoji La [Ladakh] SRINAGAR: Zoji La tunnel, an upcoming strategic corridor that will provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, is nearing a defining moment, with engineers inching towards a “breakthrough” final blast expected around May 30.Work is progressing at about four meters per day from both ends — Sonamarg (Baltal) in Kashmir and Minamarg in Ladakh — using controlled drilling and blasting. Only 300 meters of the 13.155km tunnel is left to excavate, Harpal Singh, chief operating officer (COO) of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), told TOI. The Hyderabad-based company is executing the project.“The final blast will bring the excavation phase to a close, completing the tunnel’s core structure,” Singh said, adding the blast will signal the physical connection between Kashmir and Ladakh.According to Singh, this historic milestone will be achieved by reducing tunnel excavation to zero within 30 to 35 days. “Breakthrough will ensure speedy construction of the remaining works, including concrete lining, permanent tunnel drainage, installation of surveillance equipment, control buildings, underground transformers and (traffic) smoke control systems,” Singh explained.The tunnel is still another two-and-a-half years from completion. Before it is opened to the public, the breakthrough will allow construction teams and machines to move seamlessly between two ends, streamlining work. “The teams and equipment can move through the tunnel without any hassle,” Singh said, adding this will help sustain construction through winters when heavy snowfall in Sonamarg halts surface movement.The tunnel will reduce distance between the two ends (Sonamarg and Minamarg) from 49km to 43km and increase vehicle speeds from 30kmph to 70kmph, officials said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSamrat Chaudhary Becomes Bihar CM: A Political Journey Marked by Setbacks and ReinventionIran Expresses Confidence In India’s BRICS Presidency Amid West Asia ConflictPM Modi, Donald Trump Hold 40-Min Phone Call, Discuss Strait Of Hormuz, West Asia SituationPak Enters Noida? Stunning Twist To Wage War As Workers Riot In NCR; Yogi Minister Drops BombshellFuel Price Freeze Amid Hormuz Crisis Is Costing Oil Companies Thousands of Crores DailyChina Defends Renaming Places In Arunachal After India Slams Beijing’s ‘Mischievous Attempt’Bihar DY CM Puzzle for JDU, Nishant Kumar Reluctance Complicates NDA MathNitish Kumar Resigns After 20 Years as Bihar CM; BJP Names Samrat Choudhary as SuccessorWomen’s Reservation Bill Explained: How 850-Seat Lok Sabha Plan Promises To Change Indian PoliticsExplained: Supreme Court Backs Right to Vote but Denies Relief to Bengal’s Deleted Voters123PhotostoriesWhy this new rice variety is called ‘Designer Rice’ and how it will impact your protein intake10 free things to do in Noida that are actually worth your timeHow to make Chef Sanjeev Kapoor-style Langarwali Dal6 essential real estate investment strategies for first-time buyers9 unique food etiquette rules from around the worldTop 5 IT hubs in India driving real estate demandArgue without breaking up: 5 simple rules every couple needs to know‘Bhooth Bangla’, ‘Dacoit’ To ‘The Drama’: What to watch in theatres this Week5 things you can bake beyond bread in an OTGIsrael–Lebanon tensions flare again: Inside Hezbollah’s arsenal and Lebanon’s military hand against Israel123Hot PicksIran warStock market holidayPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingDelhi-Dehradun ExpresswayStock market holidayBank holiday todayKaty PerryAnna Kepner murderDon TzuPraful HingeIPL Points TableKavya MaranNFL news roundup](https://vknewstoday.in/wp-content/uploads/1776198165_photo.jpg "Zoji La [Ladakh] SRINAGAR: Zoji La tunnel, an upcoming strategic corridor that will provide all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, is nearing a defining moment, with engineers inching towards a “breakthrough” final blast expected around May 30.Work is progressing at about four meters per day from both ends — Sonamarg (Baltal) in Kashmir and Minamarg in Ladakh — using controlled drilling and blasting. Only 300 meters of the 13.155km tunnel is left to excavate, Harpal Singh, chief operating officer (COO) of Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), told TOI. The Hyderabad-based company is executing the project.“The final blast will bring the excavation phase to a close, completing the tunnel’s core structure,” Singh said, adding the blast will signal the physical connection between Kashmir and Ladakh.According to Singh, this historic milestone will be achieved by reducing tunnel excavation to zero within 30 to 35 days. “Breakthrough will ensure speedy construction of the remaining works, including concrete lining, permanent tunnel drainage, installation of surveillance equipment, control buildings, underground transformers and (traffic) smoke control systems,” Singh explained.The tunnel is still another two-and-a-half years from completion. Before it is opened to the public, the breakthrough will allow construction teams and machines to move seamlessly between two ends, streamlining work. “The teams and equipment can move through the tunnel without any hassle,” Singh said, adding this will help sustain construction through winters when heavy snowfall in Sonamarg halts surface movement.The tunnel will reduce distance between the two ends (Sonamarg and Minamarg) from 49km to 43km and increase vehicle speeds from 30kmph to 70kmph, officials said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosSamrat Chaudhary Becomes Bihar CM: A Political Journey Marked by Setbacks and ReinventionIran Expresses Confidence In India’s BRICS Presidency Amid West Asia ConflictPM Modi, Donald Trump Hold 40-Min Phone Call, Discuss Strait Of Hormuz, West Asia SituationPak Enters Noida? Stunning Twist To Wage War As Workers Riot In NCR; Yogi Minister Drops BombshellFuel Price Freeze Amid Hormuz Crisis Is Costing Oil Companies Thousands of Crores DailyChina Defends Renaming Places In Arunachal After India Slams Beijing’s ‘Mischievous Attempt’Bihar DY CM Puzzle for JDU, Nishant Kumar Reluctance Complicates NDA MathNitish Kumar Resigns After 20 Years as Bihar CM; BJP Names Samrat Choudhary as SuccessorWomen’s Reservation Bill Explained: How 850-Seat Lok Sabha Plan Promises To Change Indian PoliticsExplained: Supreme Court Backs Right to Vote but Denies Relief to Bengal’s Deleted Voters123PhotostoriesWhy this new rice variety is called ‘Designer Rice’ and how it will impact your protein intake10 free things to do in Noida that are actually worth your timeHow to make Chef Sanjeev Kapoor-style Langarwali Dal6 essential real estate investment strategies for first-time buyers9 unique food etiquette rules from around the worldTop 5 IT hubs in India driving real estate demandArgue without breaking up: 5 simple rules every couple needs to know‘Bhooth Bangla’, ‘Dacoit’ To ‘The Drama’: What to watch in theatres this Week5 things you can bake beyond bread in an OTGIsrael–Lebanon tensions flare again: Inside Hezbollah’s arsenal and Lebanon’s military hand against Israel123Hot PicksIran warStock market holidayPurple cap winnerOrange cap winnerIPL Points TablePublic holidays April 2026Bank Holidays AprilTop TrendingDelhi-Dehradun ExpresswayStock market holidayBank holiday todayKaty PerryAnna Kepner murderDon TzuPraful HingeIPL Points TableKavya MaranNFL news roundup")
