19042026-ATR-01.qxd 18-04-2026 23:26 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY GARGAJ LEADS FOOD DRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND SACRED GURBANI VERSES ECHO IN HUE & HARMONY USE AI IN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND CREATIVE WAY: SANDRA BULLOCK Maori community extends warm welcome; over 1,000 meals distributed during programme. P2 Canada-based artist Jaswant Singh Tung’s artworks showcased at city gallery. P3 MAX 37°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 23°C Sandra Bullock has called for embracing AI and adapting to its growing influence while being cautious about its risks. P4 » » SUNSET SUNDAY 7.01 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5.56 AM » SUNDAY | 19 APRIL 2026 | AMRITSAR Flights diverted to city after rain in Delhi-NCR Charanjit Singh Teja Amritsar, April 18 Ten domestic flights bound for Delhi were diverted to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (ATQ) late Friday night after heavy rain and poor visibility disrupted operations in the national capital, triggering a cascading impact across multiple airports. According to officials, adverse weather conditions in the Delhi-NCR region, including intense rainfall and low visibility, severely affected flight movements at Indira Gandhi International Airport, forcing diversions and delays. Airport sources said flights were initially diverted to Jaipur, Lucknow and Ahmedabad. However, after parking bays at these airports were exhausted, further diversions were redirected to Amritsar after 11:30 pm. In total, 10 flights, including one diversion shortly before midnight the previous day, were rerouted from Delhi to Amritsar. These included five IndiGo flights (from Kolkata, Jammu, Guwahati, Udaipur and Patna), three Air India flights (from Bengaluru, Mumbai and Raipur), and one Spice- FILE PHOTO Tribune News Service A view of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar. Jet flight from Mumbai. Sources revealed that several of the diverted aircraft were critically low on fuel and issued MAYDAY calls before landing, highlighting the severity of the situation. Despite the operational pressure and sudden influx, authorities at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport managed all diversions safely. “All aircraft were accommodated and handled efficiently,” an airport official said. Officials added that fuel was supplied promptly to aircraft that required it at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport without any delay. By Saturday morning, all 10 diverted aircraft had successfully departed from Amritsar, while operations gradually returned to normal as weather conditions in Delhi improved later in the night. Passengers, however, faced inconvenience due to delays and prolonged disruptions across the network. Airline staff stated that necessary arrangements were made to assist affected passengers. Devotee’s body retrieved from Darbar Sahib sarovar Tarn Taran, April 18 The body of a man who had jumped into the holy sarovar at Darbar Sahib here on the occasion of Amavasya on Friday was recovered on Saturday. He was identified as Sukhwinder Singh (25), son of Jagtar Singh, a resident of Vein Poin. The Darbar Sahib management had called a team of six divers to carry out the search operation. Manjinder Singh, the younger brother of the deceased, said that his elder brother had been mentally unwell since childhood and was undergoing treatment at the local Civil Hospital. He had come from the village with his father, but after parting ways with him en route, he reached Darbar Sahib and jumped into the holy sarovar. Darbar Sahib manager Bhai Harjinder Singh said that a six-member team of expert divers was engaged to locate the body, and they rendered their services free of cost. Inspector Navdeep Singh Bhatti, SHO of the local police station, said that a report under Section 194 of the BNSS has been registered in this regard. He added that the postmortem will be conducted on Sunday, as the family approached the police late on Saturday. — OC Uttarakhand Governor pays obeisance at Golden Temple Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 18 Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday visited the historic Thathera Bazaar at Jandiala Guru, renowned for its traditional craft of hand-beaten brass and copper utensils. Interacting with local artisans who have been practising this craft for generations, Kataria stressed the need to preserve such heritage skills. “These artisans are doing a tremendous job and we need to support them and create more such heritage hubs,” he said. Accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh, Red Cross Society (Punjab) Secretary Shiv Dular Singh and other officials, Kataria met a handful of artisans working at Thathera Bazaar and appreciated their skill, dedication and efforts in preserving Punjab’s rich cultural heritage. Artisans in Jandiala Guru’s Thathera have been making these utensils for generations. The Thathera craft and utensils, featured on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, have long been seeking attention as their survival becomes increasingly difficult amid competition from hi-tech, machine-made utensils. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria interacts with artisans at Thatera Bazaar in Jandiala Guru. Kataria emphasised that such traditional crafts must be promoted at national and international levels, which would not only strengthen the livelihoods of artisans but also enhance Punjab’s cultural identity. “Thathera Bazaar of Jandiala Guru (Amritsar) is a historic heritage site of Punjab, now globally known for its handcrafted copper and brass utensils. For centuries, this market has been a centre of traditional metal craftsmanship, where artisans skilfully engrave and shape utensils by hand — an art that is rare and invaluable,” he said. The Governor further stated that the Punjab Government is making efforts to develop this historic Thathera market as a “Heritage Bazaar” and promote it as a tourist destination. The objective, he said, is to preserve the craftsmanship of artisans, improve infrastructure, and develop it into a major tourist attraction, thereby reviving the traditional craft. Earlier in the day, Kataria addressed Nasha Mukti Chetna Sangh Punjab’s “Nasha Mukt Punjab City student earns spot in ISRO’s YUVIKA Tribune News Service Governor Kataria visits Jandiala Guru’s Thathera Bazaar, calls for craft preservation Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 18 Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh paid obeisance at the Golden Temple, expressing deep reverence and seeking blessings here on Saturday. The Governor, a retired Lieutenant General and a native of Amritsar district, visited the sanctum sanctorum and offered prayers at the holy shrine, regarded as a spiritual centre for people across the world. At the Information Centre of Sri Darbar Sahib, he was honoured by Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Dhami presented him with a siropa, a golden model of the shrine and religious literature as a mark of honour. Speaking on the occasion, Dhami said that Harmandir Sahib is a universal centre of Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh (C), along with SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami (right), at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. faith where devotees from across India and abroad visit daily to pay obeisance. He noted that every Sikh bows here in gratitude for their achievements and blessings. He also said discussions were held with the Governor regarding Sikh religious sites in Uttarak- hand, to which Gurmit Singh responded positively. The Governor said that it was by the Guru’s grace that he had the opportunity to visit the sacred shrine. He described the site as a source of spiritual energy and a continued on page 3 Amritsar, April 18 ChatGPT seems to have become an integral part of daily life, with people seeking answers on work, life, and everything in between. For Manak Jain, a Class X student of The Millennium School, Amritsar, a routine query on how to spend her school break productively has led her to the coveted Young Scientist Programme by ISRO. YUVIKA (short for YUva VIgyani KAryakram) is an annual, fully sponsored two-week residential summer programme conducted by the Indian Space continued on page 3 Special Offer GT ROAD, AMRITSAR Rs. Chef Vikas Khanna’s inclusion in TIME100 brings pride to city’s culinary heritage Charanjit Singh Teja Amritsar, April 18 Vikas Khanna’s inclusion in the TIME100 Most Influential People in the World 2026 has brought global recognition to Amritsar’s rich culinary legacy, a moment widely celebrated as a matter of pride for the city and its cuisine. Known for taking the flavours of Punjab to international platforms, Khanna’s journey began in the narrow lanes of Amritsar. Long before Michelin stars and global fame, he was a young boy selling chole bhature at Vivek Public School in 1989. A year later, he started the Lawrence Garden Banquet from the back of his FILE PHOTO Tribune News Service Chef Vikas Khanna, who began his culinary journey in Amritsar. home — a modest beginning that laid the foundation for an extraordinary culinary career. Sharing his emotional journey on X, Khanna reflected on the struggles that shaped him. Choosing culinary arts in 1991 was not an easy decision, he recalled, as it was met with disapproval from many, except his grandmother. The path ahead was marked by setbacks, including the demolition of his banquet business in 2000—a turning point that pushed him to move to the United States in search of new opportunities. Life abroad was far from glamorous. From cleaning homes and selling food on the streets of New York’s TriBeCa to sleeping at Grand Central Terminal and facing homelessness, Khanna endured years of hardship. He also recalled facing racial slurs, including being called “Curry Boy” during his early days in the city. Yet resilience defined his journey. Rising from those struggles, he went on to earn global acclaim, including multiple Michelin stars, and eventually launched successful ventures such as Bungalow. c m y b Sankalp Samagam 2026” at Gurdwara Sahib Sant Baba Darshan Singh Ji Kulli Wale, Kale Ghanupur bypass, Amritsar, where he attended as the chief guest. Addressing the gathering, the Governor said Punjab has always led the nation on every front and will continue to play a leading role in eradicating the drug menace. He stated that several international forces are attempting to push India’s youth towards drugs, but the people of the country will not continued on page 3 ( (