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Who is Hekani Jhakalu? Everything you must know about the first woman to be elected to Nagaland Assembly in 60 years

Jhakalu, the lawyer turned social entrepreneur, was born and raised in Dimapur, Nagaland to a middle-class family.

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Hekani Jhakalu

Nagaland has a woman member in its legislative assembly for the first time since it attained statehood 60 years ago.

Hekani Jhakalu Kense, from BJP’s ally NDPP, has won from Dimapur-III constituency in the 2023 Nagaland Assembly elections and has created history by becoming the first woman MLA ever in the 60-member assembly of Nagaland.

Who is Hekani Jhakalu?

Jhakalu, the lawyer turned social entrepreneur, was born and raised in Dimapur, Nagaland to a middle-class family.

After a few years of schooling, she later moved to Bengaluru for her higher studies. She always wanted to become a lawyer and hence did her LLB from LSR, University of Delhi and LLM from the University of San Francisco, USA.

In India, she practised at the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court as well. In the US, she was a faculty member at the American University in Washington and interned at Amnesty International at the UN headquarters. She came back to India around 2003 and was offered to be a partner in a corporate law firm in Delhi. She said in an interview that it was a dream that came true for her.

Her change of professions happened in 2005, not out of choice but discontentment. She noticed that youth from the northeast areas were working at the retail stores in malls and wondered what could be the reason, knowing how expensive and culturally different it is to live in the metro cities.

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She realised it was because there were not enough job opportunities in the northeast and hence, decided to leave her high-paying job to open an NGO to create a solution.

Jhakalu started YouthNet, providing employment and livelihood opportunities to the youth in Nagaland and other northeastern states. She has helped to change the lives of over a lakh people until now. YouthNet is a job centre, where local youth are recruited into the hospitality and retail sectors according to their qualifications.

The NGO works with the aviation sector and luxury hotels to provide work opportunities in the entire country. The boys and girls are trained, recruited and even offered security and accommodation until they are able on their own. YouthNet has been working tirelessly to empower the local youth, providing them with a chance to upgrade their life.

Jakhalu added one more feather to her cap by creating history as she joined the Nagaland assembly as the first woman MLA on March 2, 2023. She defeated Azheto Zhimomi of LJP (Ram Vilas) by 1536 votes. Her manifesto focuses on youth development, women empowerment and minority rights.

Hekani Jhakalu recently won the Prerna Award in 2021 by Schneider Electric for her passion towards social problems and also received the Nari Shakti Puraskar from the President of India in 2018.

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Blasts outside defence establishments in Punjab within 2 hours trigger security alarm

Two explosions near defence-linked locations in Punjab within two hours have triggered alarm and heightened security across the state.

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Two explosion incidents reported within a span of around two hours near key defence-linked locations in Punjab have raised serious security concerns and triggered political reactions.

The first incident took place near the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in Jalandhar, where a blast involving a delivery scooter was reported in a populated area. The proximity of the explosion to a sensitive security installation immediately drew the attention of authorities.

Shortly after, another blast was reported near a military-linked area in Amritsar, further heightening concerns over security preparedness in the border state. Police and security agencies responded swiftly, deploying bomb disposal squads and forensic teams at both locations.

Officials confirmed that no casualties were reported in either incident. However, the back-to-back nature of the explosions caused panic in nearby areas and prompted authorities to place the state on high alert.

Political leaders reacted strongly, questioning the handling of security and pointing to possible lapses. They urged authorities to take preventive steps to avoid such incidents in the future.

Punjab, being a strategically important border state, remains sensitive to such developments. Investigations are currently underway to determine the cause of the explosions and whether there are any links between the two incidents.

Security has been tightened around key installations, with agencies assessing whether the blasts were isolated events or part of a broader threat.

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Retired bureaucrats appointed by Mamata Banerjee barred from Bengal offices ahead of BJP government formation

Retired bureaucrats appointed under Mamata Banerjee have been barred from government offices as West Bengal prepares for a BJP-led administration.

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In a significant administrative development following the West Bengal Assembly election results, several retired bureaucrats appointed during the tenure of Mamata Banerjee have reportedly been barred from entering state government offices.

The decision comes at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing to form its first government in the state after securing a decisive mandate. The move is seen as part of the transition process as the outgoing administration makes way for the incoming regime.

Officials indicated that the restrictions apply specifically to retired personnel who had been given contractual or advisory roles under the previous government. These individuals have now been asked not to access offices or handle official work.

The development follows a broader directive issued by the state administration to ensure that no official documents or records are removed, damaged, or tampered with during the transition period. Authorities have emphasised strict accountability, placing responsibility on departmental heads to safeguard files and maintain proper records.

The political backdrop to this move is the sweeping victory of the BJP in the 2026 West Bengal elections, marking a major shift in the state’s political landscape after years of Trinamool Congress rule.

With the new government expected to take charge soon, administrative reshuffling and tightening of access to government infrastructure are being viewed as measures to ensure a smooth and transparent handover of power.

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Vijay expresses gratitude to Modi, Rahul Gandhi for congratulatory messages after poll victory

Vijay thanked PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi after his party’s strong Tamil Nadu poll performance, promising governance focused on public welfare.

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Actor vijay

Actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for congratulating him on his party’s strong performance in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026.

Vijay, who leads the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), acknowledged the wishes shared by both leaders following the party’s impressive electoral debut, which has significantly altered the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.

Responding to the Prime Minister on social media platform X, Vijay said that his party’s focus would remain on public welfare and development. He emphasised that governance should rise above political differences and aim at improving the lives of the people.

“The well-being of our people remains our only goal… we shall focus on the state’s progress and welfare,” he said, while also expressing hope for support from the Union government in achieving these objectives.

The TVK has emerged as a major political force in the state, breaking the long-standing dominance of traditional parties and marking a major shift in Tamil Nadu’s political dynamics.

According to early developments, the party has staked claim to form the government and may seek additional support if required to prove its majority in the assembly.

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