Author: Malavika Subramanyan

The University of Nebraska at Omaha has announced that Dr. Gurpreet S. Dhillon will become the next dean of the College of Business Administration starting January 12, 2026, pending the final approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. Dr. Dhillon is widely recognized for his scholarship and global leadership, and he currently holds the G. Brint Ryan Endowed Chair in AI and Cybersecurity at the University of North Texas. With more than twenty years of academic and administrative experience across several continents, Dr. Dhillon brings an extensive portfolio of research, innovation, and institutional leadership to his new role.…

India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, recently hosted a high-level bipartisan delegation of US Senators in Washington, DC, marking another step forward in the growing strategic partnership between the two nations. The meeting took place at India House, where leaders exchanged views on strengthening cooperation in defense, energy, and trade — three pillars central to the evolving India–US relationship. The visiting group included Senators Lindsey Graham, Dan Sullivan, and Markwayne Mullin from the Republican Party, alongside Democratic Senators Peter Welch, Richard Blumenthal, and Sheldon Whitehouse. Their presence underscored strong bipartisan support in Washington for deepening engagement with…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted how the ascent of C P Radhakrishnan—from a modest rural upbringing to becoming the Vice President of India—demonstrates the true spirit and strength of Indian democracy. He expressed confidence that Radhakrishnan’s experience, humility, and long-standing commitment to public service would help foster productive debates and constructive leadership in the Rajya Sabha. Elected in September as India’s 15th Vice President, Chandrapuram Ponnusami Radhakrishnan assumed the role of the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha. As the Winter Session of Parliament began, Modi extended warm congratulations and said he hoped the Upper House, under…

The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University has announced that Siddharth Pandey, a location intelligence manager at Deloitte, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Graduates of Earth and Mineral Sciences (GEMS). His selection adds new industry expertise to the alumni leadership body. The GEMS Board consists of 16 individuals, including 15 elected members and the immediate past president. Established in 1994, the board supports the GEMS Alumni Society by shaping its initiatives, strengthening alumni engagement, and promoting professional development opportunities. Board members are nominated and elected by the wider GEMS membership…

India, currently the world’s fourth-largest economy, is steadily moving toward becoming the third-largest by 2030, with projections placing its GDP at US $7.3 trillion. Recent economic indicators highlight strong momentum. In the second quarter of FY 2025-26, India’s real GDP grew by 8.2%, a sharp rise from 5.6% in the same period last year. Growth in the first quarter also remained robust at 7.8%, compared with 6.5% in the previous financial year. The expansion has been broad-based across sectors. The primary sector recorded a growth rate of 3.1%, the secondary sector expanded by 8.1%, and the tertiary (services) sector surged…

India expects to conclude the first tranche of its bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the United States by the end of 2025, as “most issues have already been resolved,” Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Friday. Speaking at FICCI’s 98th AGM, he emphasized that New Delhi remains committed to completing the initial phase of the pact within this calendar year. The India–US discussions span two tracks — a broader trade pact and a tariff framework addressing reciprocal duties imposed by Washington. The first tranche will focus on tariff-related matters, including levies on standard goods and petroleum products. Agrawal noted that…

The Indian economy continues to remain on a stable and high-growth trajectory in FY26, supported by strong domestic demand, sustained public capital expenditure, and well-anchored inflation expectations, according to the Finance Ministry’s Monthly Economic Review released on Thursday. The Ministry highlighted that the combination of easing inflation, firming rural and urban demand, and continued policy momentum has placed the economy on a resilient footing, enabling it to navigate emerging global risks while preserving growth momentum for the remainder of the fiscal year. The macroeconomic environment remains stable, backed by resilient consumption patterns and sustained government spending. The positive effects of…

China’s President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump reinforced their emerging “G-2” framework on Monday, exchanging invitations for high-level visits even as Beijing escalated tensions with Japan and India and sharpened its claims over Taiwan. Despite the rising friction in Asia, Washington showed little sign of directly confronting Beijing on the Taiwan issue. During a forty-five-minute phone call, Xi raised concerns over Japan’s recent hardened stance. Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, used her first major foreign policy speech since taking office in September to warn that any Chinese move to blockade or seize Taiwan would pose a “direct…

Akshaya Patra’s journey is one of India’s most remarkable social-impact success stories. What began in 2000 as a modest initiative serving 1,500 schoolchildren in Bengaluru has evolved into a nationwide program that feeds more than 2 million children every day. Scaling a Mission of Nutrition and Education Rooted in the belief that no child should be denied education because of hunger, the Foundation expanded quickly through a model that blends compassion with operational efficiency. By establishing state-of-the-art kitchens — now 78 across 16 states and three Union Territories — Akshaya Patra has transformed India’s school meal ecosystem. Hubli: The Turning…

The White House has defended President Donald Trump’s position on the H-1B visa programme, describing his approach as balanced and rooted in common sense while prioritising American workers in the long term. Officials clarified that the administration supports limited use of foreign workers during the initial phase of major investments but remains firm on ensuring that these roles eventually shift to domestic employees. According to the administration, foreign companies investing large sums in the United States may be permitted to bring in skilled workers temporarily to help establish specialised manufacturing operations, particularly in sectors such as advanced technology and semiconductor…