Author: Akancha Mishra

The Indo-American Cultural Foundation of Central Jersey (IACFNJ) is set to host a festive celebration honoring India’s Independence Day on Saturday, August 16, 2025, starting at 11 a.m. The event will take place at Shree Swaminarayan Temple (Vadtal Dham), located at 1667 Amwell Road, Somerset, New Jersey. This community-wide celebration will bring together residents from Somerset, South Brunswick, North Brunswick, and nearby towns. The lively gathering will feature patriotic and cultural dance performances, live singing, a DJ, henna artists, and fun activities for kids. The event is free and open to the public, drawing a diverse audience from across Central…

President Donald Trump has indicated that Vice President JD Vance is likely to inherit the leadership of his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Speaking on Tuesday, Trump told reporters that Vance is “most likely” to take up the mantle, given his current position and performance. “He’s the vice president — it makes sense,” Trump stated. “He’s doing a great job and is probably the frontrunner right now.” However, Trump cautioned that discussions about future leadership are premature. Still, he left the door open for other figures, notably Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to play a significant role. “Marco and…

In a significant stride toward enhancing defense ties, India and the Philippines conducted their inaugural bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) from August 3 to 4. This two-day operation marked a milestone in maritime collaboration, aiming to deepen tactical coordination and boost mutual capabilities in securing the Indo-Pacific. The Philippine Armed Forces (AFP) confirmed that the MCA involved a range of high-level naval maneuvers. These included rendezvous operations, anti-submarine warfare drills, communication checks, photo exercises, and complex simulations like over-the-horizon targeting and naval interdiction. Also featured were clearance operations, replenishment at sea, passing drills, and rapid maneuvering exercises. A final combined…

Mathura Sridharan, an Indian-American attorney with a strong background in law and public service, has been appointed as Ohio’s 12th Solicitor General. While her professional qualifications have earned her accolades in legal circles, her appointment sparked controversy online—largely due to her Indian heritage and the visible presence of a bindi, a traditional forehead adornment. Numerous social media users took issue with her appearance, with some suggesting her cultural identity made her unfit for a public office. Comments ranged from questioning her religion—assuming she was not Christian—to false claims about her loyalty to the United States. One particularly pointed remark questioned,…

Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr began a significant five-day state visit to India on Monday, aimed at boosting bilateral cooperation in defense and trade. This marks his first official trip to India since assuming office in 2022 and comes at a pivotal moment, as both nations celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. President Marcos is accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation that includes cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and influential business leaders. The delegation’s arrival in New Delhi signals a growing strategic convergence between the two Indo-Pacific democracies, particularly in maritime security…

India has officially emerged as the third-largest producer of solar power in the world, overtaking Japan in a significant leap toward renewable energy leadership. According to recent data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), India generated 108,494 gigawatt hours (GWh) of solar electricity in 2024—well ahead of Japan’s 96,459 GWh. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi shared the news via platform X, highlighting the achievement as a testament to the rapid growth of India’s clean energy sector. He emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has accelerated its green energy ambitions and now stands among the top three…

Many Indians have moved overseas in search of new beginnings, but few have achieved extraordinary international success like Sri Prakash Lohia. Born on August 11, 1952, in Kolkata, Lohia made a life-changing decision in 1973 to move to Indonesia with his father, Mohan Lal Lohia. There, he laid the foundation of his global business journey by launching PT Indo-Rama Synthetics, a firm that started producing spun yarns in 1976. What began as a modest textile operation would later evolve into Indorama Corporation, a global leader in petrochemicals and industrial manufacturing. Lohia pursued his college education at Delhi University before venturing…

On July 30, 2025, India successfully launched the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Lifted by the GSLV-F16 rocket at 5:40 p.m., the satellite was deployed precisely into a sun-synchronous orbit just 18 minutes after launch — marking a major milestone in India-US space cooperation. Weighing about 2,392 kg, NISAR is the first-ever satellite developed collaboratively by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It’s designed for a five-year mission to monitor changes on Earth with high accuracy using dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar — NASA’s…

In a historic step for space collaboration, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA are set to launch the jointly developed Earth observation satellite, NISAR, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, valued at $1.5 billion, represents a technological milestone as the world’s first Earth observation satellite using dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). It is designed to deliver precise, real-time data on environmental changes, natural disasters, and the planet’s evolving surface. NISAR will carry both NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band radar systems, integrated on a specially designed spacecraft bus provided by…

In a significant breakthrough for Indian security forces, three terrorists, including the alleged mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, were killed in an encounter on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday, July 28. The joint anti-terror operation was carried out by the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police based on specific intelligence inputs. The mission, codenamed Operation Mahadev, was launched in the Lidwas area near Dara, located close to the Dachigam National Park. According to officials, security forces swiftly moved into action once credible information was received about the presence of terrorists in the region. The Chinar Corps of…