Author: Bhakti Narayanan

India’s steel industry delivered another quarter of steady growth during the first three months of FY27, driven by increased manufacturing activity, infrastructure development, and expanding domestic demand. Fresh provisional figures released by the Joint Plant Committee (JPC) indicate that both production and consumption continued to move upward between April and June 2026, highlighting the sector’s resilience despite evolving global market conditions. Crude steel output climbed by 3% year over year to 42.1 million metric tons, while finished steel production increased by 4.9% to 40.6 million metric tons. Domestic demand remained a major growth driver, with finished steel consumption reaching 41.6…

Education activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike after midnight on Thursday following discussions with senior government representatives and assurances on strengthening India’s examination system. The protest, which drew widespread attention amid concerns over the NEET paper leak controversy, concluded after a meeting with Union Ministers JP Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. Wangchuk announced that he had ended his fast in the presence of government leaders and representatives from the Apex Body of Leh Ladakh after what he described as detailed discussions over multiple demands. He said the decision was taken after extensive negotiations…

President Droupadi Murmu continued her landmark State Visit to Romania by holding high-level talks with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan at Victoria Palace in Bucharest on Friday. The discussions centered on expanding cooperation across a wide range of sectors, reflecting both nations’ commitment to building a stronger and more future-focused partnership. Senior officials, including Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George, participated in the meeting alongside representatives from both governments. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders explored new opportunities to strengthen collaboration in trade, investment, clean energy, connectivity, and emerging technologies. These sectors have become central…

Indian-American politician and physician Amish Shah has secured the Democratic nomination for Arizona’s First Congressional District after defeating an establishment-backed rival in a closely watched primary election. His victory sets up a high-profile contest against Republican candidate and former NFL kicker Jay Feely, who has received the endorsement of US President Donald Trump, in the November congressional election. A practicing emergency medicine physician and a moderate Democrat, Shah built his campaign around direct voter engagement. His team reported that he personally visited nearly 28,000 homes, emphasizing face-to-face conversations with residents throughout the district. The grassroots strategy helped him overcome former…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent diplomatic journey across Australia, New Zealand, and Indonesia marks a significant step in India’s efforts to strengthen its position in the Indo-Pacific region. According to an analysis published by the Politeia Research Foundation (PRF), the three-country tour should be viewed as a unified strategic initiative rather than a collection of separate bilateral visits. The report suggests that the outreach reflects New Delhi’s determination to expand its influence in a region where its presence has traditionally been more limited than its long-term ambitions. The study explains that the Prime Minister linked the visit to India’s Act…

Eighteen-year-old Kiran Reddy has created history by becoming the first Indian American to win the Miss Georgia Teen USA title, marking a significant milestone in the state’s pageant history. The Coffee County teenager, who graduated as a valedictorian from Coffee High School, will now represent Georgia at the Miss Teen USA competition in August. Reddy said the achievement took time to fully understand, as the moment felt unreal initially. However, she views the title as an opportunity to expand the positive impact she has already been making through years of community involvement. Before stepping onto the pageant stage, Reddy developed…

President Droupadi Murmu has arrived in North Macedonia for the second stop of her three-country diplomatic tour across Europe, following the successful completion of her State Visit to Moldova. She received a warm welcome at Skopje International Airport from North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timcho Mucunski, marking the beginning of a historic visit for India’s diplomatic outreach. The visit is particularly significant because it is the first time an Indian President has traveled to North Macedonia. Indian officials described the occasion as an important milestone that reflects the growing strength of bilateral relations and the shared…

Indian films and television series reached a major global milestone on Netflix, recording 688 million views during the first six months of 2026. The achievement highlights the increasing international popularity of Indian storytelling and the country’s expanding influence in the global entertainment industry. According to Netflix’s latest “What We Watched” report, India became the largest contributor to non-English film viewership on the platform between January and June 2026. The country also ranked third worldwide in overall film viewership, following the United States and the United Kingdom, reflecting the strong demand for Indian content among audiences across different regions. Indian movies…

Artificial intelligence commentator Dwarkesh Patel and digital marketing entrepreneur Shama Hyder have secured places on the TIME100 Creators 2026 list, an annual recognition honoring influential individuals who are shaping conversations, industries, and online culture through digital platforms. At just 25 years old, Patel has built a strong reputation through the Dwarkesh Podcast, where he hosts detailed discussions on artificial intelligence with leading experts and innovators. Based in San Francisco, Patel has interviewed prominent figures such as AI researcher Andrej Karpathy and Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang. According to TIME, each episode attracts an average audience of more than 1.8…

Puri, Odisha, is witnessing one of India’s largest religious celebrations as the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra begins with thousands of devotees gathering in the temple town despite heavy rainfall and unfavorable weather conditions. Nearly 200,000 pilgrims have already reached Puri to participate in the grand festival dedicated to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. During the historic procession, the three decorated chariots carrying the deities will travel along the Grand Road from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Shree Gundicha Temple, located around 2.6 kilometers away. The traditional journey is considered one of the most significant events in Odisha’s…