Indian fencing achieved its best-ever performance on the global stage as Epee fencers Taniksha Khatri and Prachi Lohan concluded their individual campaigns at the Senior World Fencing Championships 2026 in Hong Kong. Both athletes became the first Indian women's Epee fencers to qualify for the Main Table of 64 (Direct Elimination Round) at a Senior World Championships, competing in a field of over 180 athletes at the Asia World Expo. In the final standings for Women's Individual Epee, Taniksha Khatri placed 43rd overall, registering India's highest-ever individual rank in the event at a Senior World Championships. Her teammate Prachi Lohan finished 58th, giving India two fencers in the top 60. Rounding out the Indian squad in the same event, Yashkeerat Kaur Hayer ranked 143rd, and Mitva Jesangbhai Chaudhari ranked 150th. Expressing his support for the athletes, Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of the Fencing Confederation of Asia and the Fencing Association of India, sai...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron took part Thursday in a roadshow in the Pink City, where the visitor was presented a replica of Ayodhya's Ram temple and offered masala chai from a teashop before the leaders sat down for bilateral talks.
Macron, who is the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi on January 26, also visited the hilltop Amber Palace, Jantar Mantar observatory and Hawa Mahal in a carefully curated tour that ended at an iconic palace-turned-hotel.
In the evening, the two leaders were driven in an open-top vehicle through a short stretch in the heart of the city, beginning from Jantar Mantar, the 18th century astronomical observatory which is now a Unesco heritage site.
They stood in the vehicle, chatting and waving at people who lined the route.
For the PM, it was the first visit to the city after the swearing-in of Bhajanlal Sharma who took over as the Rajasthan chief minister after the BJP victory in the recent assembly polls.
PM Modi and Macron got down in front of the breezy Hawa Mahal. They admired the lit-up five-storey building with nearly 1,000 windows and 'jharokhas'.
The two leaders visited a handicrafts shop in the area. PM Modi, who led the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya's new Ram Mandir this week, bought a small replica of the temple for the guest, according to the shopkeeper.
He paid Rs 500 for the artifact -- digitally, through UPI.
And "Sahu chaiwala", who had set up a temporary stall for the occasion, accepted Rs 2 as token payment for the masala tea offered to the leaders. Again, the payment was digital.
The two leaders boarded the open-top vehicle again to continue the roadshow up to Sanganeri Gate. From there, they were to be driven to Rambagh Palace for dinner and the bilateral talks.
Earlier, in the afternoon, the French delegation was received by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma at the Jaipur airport.
A couple of hours later, PM Modi, who was on a visit to Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, also reached Jaipur. He met up with Macron at Jantar Mantar, where the two shook hands, hugged and then took a brief tour of the observatory.
Before this meeting, Macron had already ticked off Amber Palace on his Jaipur itinerary. His delegation had headed straight from the airport to the fort, the seat of Kachhwa Rajputs before Jaipur was founded nearby.
A red carpet was laid out and caparisoned elephants lined up at the fort for the French president.
Macron interacted there with a group of children. The delegation also browsed through artifacts on display at the temporary stalls set up near the entrance.
S Jaishankar and Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari were at the fort.
Cutouts and hoardings were earlier put up at several locations in Jaipur around the sites PM Modi and Macron were set to visit.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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