Author: Bhakti Narayanan

Padma Shri awardee Sonu Nigam has shared one of his fondest memories involving his son Nevaan Nigam. The senior playback singer, who will perform live for a Janmashtami special, recalled how his son used to dress up as Lord Krishna during his toddler years. Sonu Nigam will be performing alongside playback singer Shaan for Janmashtami LIVE: The World Celebrates Krishna. Reflecting on the occasion, he said that Janmashtami has always been a deeply spiritual celebration in his family, with cherished childhood memories from both Mumbai and Delhi. He revealed that his family fondly calls him the “Krishna of the house,”…

American corporate giants, from McDonald’s and Coca-Cola to Amazon and Apple, are facing growing calls for a boycott in India as trade tensions with Washington deepen. The push, backed by business leaders and supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods — a move that has rattled exporters and strained bilateral relations. India, now the world’s most populous country, is a major market for American brands that have embedded themselves into the nation’s consumer culture. Meta’s WhatsApp counts India as its largest user base, Domino’s operates…

New Delhi will host the third edition of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Tuesday. The high-level gathering seeks to broaden and strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations, paving the way for new areas of collaboration. The meeting comes amid speculation that Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong may visit India next month, according to media sources. India will be represented by key ministers, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting,…

India’s ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, recently held talks with influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham as trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington remain stalled. The meeting came in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to impose punitive tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil. Kwatra, in a statement on X, noted that he discussed India’s approach to energy security and highlighted the growing energy trade between the two nations. His outreach followed Graham’s remarks urging India to help end the Ukraine war. The senator posted that one of the most meaningful contributions India could make to…

Reliance Industries has declared India’s retail sector among the fastest-expanding consumer markets in the world, citing strong growth fundamentals and a promising decade ahead. In its FY25 annual report, the conglomerate credited favorable government policies, rising disposable incomes, surging rural demand, and technological innovation for fueling this momentum. The company’s retail arm—which spans consumer electronics, grocery, fashion, lifestyle, and private labels—generated gross revenue of $37.84 billion in FY25, marking a 7.9% year-on-year increase. EBITDA rose to $2.87 billion, an 8.6% improvement over FY24. Reliance expanded its footprint aggressively, adding 2,659 stores in a single year to reach 19,340 outlets nationwide—making…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed India’s Ambassador to Israel, J.P. Singh, for a high-level meeting aimed at enhancing the ever-growing India-Israel Strategic Partnership. The discussions centered on expanding cooperation in key sectors such as security and economics, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to advancing shared goals based on mutual values and interests. Netanyahu shared details of the meeting on X, stating that they had explored opportunities to deepen collaboration, particularly in defense and trade. The Israeli leader also engaged with senior Indian journalists, answering questions on a range of bilateral and regional issues. The Indian Embassy in Israel…

For nearly three decades, a woman of Pakistani descent has been sending handcrafted rakhis to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Her name is Qamar Mohsin Shaikh, and though she was born in Karachi, Pakistan, she has been living in Ahmedabad, India, after marrying Mohsin Shaikh. What makes this tradition special is that Qamar personally creates the rakhis each year. She crafts several but always chooses the best one to send to PM Modi. This year, she selected a rakhi adorned with the sacred ‘OM’ symbol, reflecting both devotion and cultural heritage. Her connection with the Prime Minister dates back to his…

In a groundbreaking event held at Celebrations Banquet Hall in Cumming, Georgia, Indian American entrepreneur and community advocate Lakshmi Mandavilli made history by organizing the state’s first-ever neurodiverse pageant. Named LuckyWe2 Georgia USA 2025, the event was hosted by her company LuckyWe2, known for creating inclusive platforms that amplify underrepresented voices. With over three decades in the United States, Lakshmi is the founder of MedRoi Corp, a thriving medical billing firm. She is also a wife and mother who has long supported women’s empowerment and community-building initiatives. Her inspiration for the pageant stemmed from attending a neurodiverse event, where she…

Google is ramping up its internal drive for artificial intelligence integration, encouraging teams across the company to embed AI into daily workflows to enhance output while minimizing resource use. At a recent all-hands meeting, CEO Sundar Pichai, alongside Core Development VP Brian Saluzzo, emphasized a cultural shift focused on AI-first productivity. Pichai explained that the company is entering a phase of intense investment, especially in AI infrastructure, but must avoid old patterns of simply increasing headcount. Instead, he stressed the need to achieve more with leaner teams, relying on AI to deliver efficiency gains. “During such transformative moments, the temptation…

In a significant intensification of economic hostilities, US President Donald Trump has declared plans to sharply increase tariffs on Indian imports, following the earlier imposition of a blanket 25% duty. Trump’s new tariff threat is expected to be implemented within the next 24 hours, with his administration expressing dissatisfaction over India’s ongoing purchases of Russian oil and defense-related equipment. During an interview with CNBC, Trump criticized India’s trade practices and accused the country of capitalizing on the conflict in Ukraine. “India does a lot of business with us, but we don’t get the same in return,” Trump remarked. “We settled…