Author: Aarohi Talati

Seventeen-year-old Indian-American student Riddhi Chauhan is gaining recognition for her exceptional leadership as the Battalion Commanding Officer of her school’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) unit in Queens, New York. Leading nearly 300 cadets, she has become one of the youngest students to hold the highest leadership position within the program while taking significant steps toward her goal of serving as an officer in the United States Navy. A student at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School, Riddhi began her NJROTC journey as a way to build confidence, develop discipline, and strengthen her leadership abilities. Over three years, her…

Indiahandmade, a digital marketplace created by the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Textiles, is transforming opportunities for India’s handloom and handicraft communities by connecting artisans directly with buyers across the country. Launched in 2023, the platform aims to provide a stronger digital presence for traditional creators while promoting India’s rich cultural heritage and supporting inclusive economic growth. The online marketplace features a wide variety of handmade products, including Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged items and products developed under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative. By allowing artisans and weavers to showcase their work directly to customers, Indiahandmade helps reduce…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Jakarta on Monday for a three-day state visit to Indonesia, where he was warmly received by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the airport. The gesture highlighted the growing diplomatic closeness between the two countries and set the tone for high-level discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation. The visit marks Modi’s first official bilateral trip to Indonesia since the two nations elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2018. It also follows President Prabowo Subianto’s recent State Visit to India, during which he served as the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations…

New York City Mayor has announced the appointment of Siddhartha Sanchez as the new Executive Director of the , marking a key step in the administration’s efforts to expand access to affordable and nutritious food across the city. Sanchez brings over 20 years of experience working in nonprofit leadership, public sector partnerships, and community-driven food systems. His background includes extensive work focused on food justice, environmental sustainability, and economic equity, particularly in underserved neighborhoods across New York City. The mayor emphasized that rising grocery costs and food insecurity continue to place pressure on families, underscoring the need for stronger public…

India has formally taken its first step towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz Republic. On August 20, 2025, both parties signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) to initiate negotiations, according to an official statement from the Indian government. The signing ceremony featured Ajay Bhadoo, Additional Secretary in India’s Department of Commerce, and Mikhail Cherekaev, Deputy Director of the Trade Policy Department at the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC). This development comes at a time when India faces mounting pressure from the United States, which has imposed…

India’s renewable energy landscape has seen a monumental transformation in June 2025, with a 420% year-over-year increase in capacity additions. According to Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Mr. Pralhad Joshi, the nation’s clean energy installations surged from 1.4 gigawatts (GW) in June 2024 to 7.3 GW this year. Speaking at the IVCA Renewable Energy Summit in Mumbai, he emphasized this achievement as a milestone in India’s journey toward green energy leadership. A standout success in this transition is India’s solar power sector, which expanded an extraordinary 4,000% since its early days. Solar capacity has skyrocketed from just 2.82…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China next month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, according to a report by the Economic Times on July 16, 2025. This potential visit would mark Modi’s first trip to China since the tense 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which severely strained relations between the neighboring nations. The SCO summit will take place in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed that the gathering will include leaders from over 20 countries and representatives of 10 international organizations. Russian President Vladimir Putin and other heads of…

In a major development offering hope to international students, a federal court in Georgia has issued a temporary order restoring SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records for 133 students, most of whom are Indian nationals. This came after their records were unexpectedly revoked and their student visas invalidated by the US Department of State and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These students pursued legal action, challenging the Trump administration’s crackdown, which they argue unjustly stripped them of legal status by deleting them from the SEVIS database—a system that allows educational institutions to report foreign student data to the…

Preserving the grandeur of centuries-old structures while resolving modern structural issues remains a tough balancing act—especially when the monument in question is the revered Srikalahastheeswara Swamy Devasthanam in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district. The temple, dating back to the 11th century and associated with the Chola dynasty, has long struggled with water leakage from its expansive roof despite repeated concrete repairs. The vast stone-and-brick roof, covering approximately 64,000 sq. ft. including sanctums of key deities, was originally constructed using traditional surkhi mortar—a mix of burnt clay and lime. Over time, rainwater began seeping through gaps in the stone joints and pillars.…