Author: Deepika chandrasekar

Divya Deshmukh Beats World No.1, PM Modi Applauds Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised India’s rising chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh for her remarkable win over World No. 1 Hou Yifan during the second leg of the blitz semifinal at the World Team Blitz Championships held in London. The 18-year-old, representing Hexamind Chess Club, went head-to-head with Chinese grandmaster Hou Yifan, who played for the WR Chess Team. In a tense 74-move game, Divya capitalized on a rare endgame blunder by Yifan to secure a stunning victory—her first ever against the top-ranked player. “Congratulations to Divya Deshmukh on defeating the…

Professor Anantha Chandrakasan, a prominent academic originally from Chennai, has been named the next provost of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), marking a historic milestone as the first Indian-American to assume this prestigious leadership position. He will officially take office on July 1. Currently serving as MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, Chandrakasan also holds the role of dean of engineering. He was selected from a pool of distinguished internal candidates. MIT President Sally Kornbluth highlighted his exceptional ability to lead transformative initiatives across the institute. As provost, Chandrakasan will take on one of MIT’s most vital responsibilities —…

Stanford Graduate School of Business alumna Gayatri Datar (MBA ’14), co-founder and CEO of EarthEnable, has been honored with the prestigious President’s Award for Advancement of the Common Good. This award is granted to alumni who use their education and talent to create meaningful, sustainable changes in people’s lives—demonstrating Stanford’s commitment to social responsibility and ethical service. Datar’s path to making a difference began during a student trip to Rwanda as part of Stanford’s “Design for Extreme Affordability” course at the d.school. While visiting the country, she spoke with a single mother of three living in a home with cracked…

Rice University and Houston Methodist have jointly appointed Indian American leader Pothik Chatterjee as the inaugural executive director of their newly established Digital Health Institute. The announcement was made earlier this week, and Chatterjee officially stepped into the role on May 1, 2025. The institute, formed in December 2024, aims to transform the future of healthcare through cutting-edge digital innovation. In his new position, the 41-year-old Chatterjee will oversee strategic planning, operations, innovation programs, and partnerships for the institute. His appointment is expected to strengthen the institute’s mission of merging advanced engineering and artificial intelligence capabilities from Rice with Houston…

India has initiated a significant shift in its rare earth export strategy by instructing Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a government-run entity, to suspend rare earth shipments to Japan. This decision comes under a 13-year-old trade deal, but the focus has now turned toward preserving resources like neodymium—an essential material in electric vehicle (EV) motors—for domestic use. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently met with key auto industry leaders and emphasized the urgent need to secure critical minerals amid tightening global supply chains. In 2024, India exported over 1,000 metric tonnes of rare earth elements to Japan, roughly…

The Imagindia Institute, a New Delhi-based policy and leadership think tank, has announced the launch of the Trump Study Circle (TSC)—an international initiative designed to help Indians understand the evolving landscape of American politics. Unveiled on Thursday, this non-partisan, educational platform focuses particularly on those whose lives and futures are closely intertwined with the United States, including students, working professionals, and families. The initiative’s broader goal is to elevate what it calls the “Global Quotient” (GQ), a term denoting civic awareness, strategic thinking, and global understanding. According to the institute, Indian youth and families often find themselves overwhelmed by shifting…

xPrime Minister Narendra Modi met with the sole surviving passenger of the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash just a day after the Boeing 787-8 jetliner disintegrated mid-air and crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad. The accident claimed 241 lives onboard and caused additional casualties on the ground. The aircraft plunged into a hostel within a medical college complex minutes after departing from the airport. Authorities are still searching for the critical black boxes — the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder — which are essential for understanding what caused the disaster. Aviation safety expert James Healy-Pratt…

Paul Kapur, the Biden administration’s pick for Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, emphasized the United States’ commitment to advancing a strategic and secure partnership with India. Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 10, Kapur underscored mutual goals between Washington and New Delhi — particularly in maintaining an Indo-Pacific that remains open, inclusive, and free from growing Chinese influence. Kapur laid out his strategic roadmap, which includes boosting bilateral trade, improving energy access, and deepening collaboration in technological innovation. If confirmed, Kapur would assume a pivotal diplomatic role overseeing US policy in a…

Roblox Corporation (NYSE: RBLX), a global platform for immersive gaming and digital creation, has named Naveen Chopra as its next Chief Financial Officer, effective June 30, 2025. With over 25 years of experience, Chopra is expected to bring strategic financial leadership and deep operational insight as Roblox continues its global expansion in the tech-entertainment space. In his new role, Chopra will lead all aspects of Roblox’s financial ecosystem—including accounting, treasury, internal audit, investor relations, financial planning and analysis, and business operations. His track record of scaling high-growth tech companies and guiding entertainment businesses through major transitions is seen as a…

Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, a pivotal figure in India’s recent military engagements, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy), while continuing in his existing role as Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO). The Ministry of Defence confirmed the dual-role appointment on Monday, marking a major step in strengthening India’s high-level defense leadership. The position of Deputy Chief (Strategy) was introduced in 2020 to centralize command over key military divisions, including operations, logistics, intelligence, strategic planning, and information warfare. This role plays a crucial part in shaping long-term defense strategy within the evolving command framework of the Indian…