Author: Malavika Subramanyan

The national capital is preparing to unveil a series of major development and welfare projects valued at more than $360 million during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday celebrations next week. These initiatives will be launched as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) 15-day “Seva Pakhwada” program, running from September 17 to October 2, designed to honor the Prime Minister’s birthday with public-focused initiatives. Among the highlights, the Delhi Jal Board will introduce 13 projects aimed at improving the city’s water infrastructure. This includes a new sewer network in Sonia Vihar, a Master Balancing Reservoir at Palla, and an Underground…

Vice President-elect CP Radhakrishnan is set to be formally sworn into office on September 12, 2025, in a ceremony to be conducted by President Droupadi Murmu. The swearing-in will mark the official start of his tenure as India’s 15th Vice President. Radhakrishnan earned a decisive victory in the recent election, securing 452 votes out of a total of 767, defeating opposition candidate B. Sudarshan Reddy. His election reflects the support of the ruling alliance and underscores his prominence in Indian political circles. Following the formal oath-taking, Radhakrishnan will assume his constitutional responsibilities, including serving as the Chairman of the Rajya…

India and the United States appear to be moving closer to resolving their trade disagreements, with both governments signaling a softer approach after months of friction. A delegation led by India’s Chief Trade Negotiator Rajesh Agarwal, along with senior officials from the Commerce Ministry, is set to travel to Washington, D.C., next week to resume in-person discussions, according to people familiar with the matter. This renewed momentum follows a series of cordial statements exchanged between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on social media. Modi described India and the United States as “close friends and natural partners,”…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently joined a trilateral call with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to review the current state of India-EU relations and push forward areas of mutual cooperation. During the discussion, all three leaders welcomed progress in crucial sectors such as trade, technology, investment, defense, sustainability, and supply chain security. They reiterated their determination to fast-track the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) while highlighting the importance of implementing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). Von der Leyen underlined the global consequences of the ongoing war in Ukraine, pointing out…

Indian American Amit Kshatriya has been appointed as the new associate administrator of NASA, the US space agency’s highest civil service post. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Acting Administrator Sean P. Duffy, who praised Kshatriya’s two decades of contributions to America’s space program. Kshatriya, a longtime NASA veteran, most recently served as deputy for the Moon to Mars Program within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. In this role, he managed mission planning and oversight for crewed lunar expeditions under the Artemis campaign, which lays the groundwork for future human missions to Mars. NASA emphasized…

The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) announced that Dr. Vijay Rangachari has been awarded a prestigious $500,000 research grant, part of a $2.5 million global initiative supporting innovative work in neurodegenerative disease research. He is one of only five scientists worldwide to receive this recognition, placing the university on the international stage. The award was presented under the 2025 Tauopathy Challenge Workshop, a funding program organized by the Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF), one of the largest independent supporters of tauopathy studies. The initiative is run in partnership with CurePSP, the Aging Mind Foundation, and the Alzheimer’s Association. The Tauopathy…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday presented India’s long-term vision for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), outlining three guiding principles: Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. Speaking at the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Tianjin, he underlined India’s consistent and constructive role in shaping the future of the grouping since becoming a full member in 2017. Modi said security and stability remain the foundation for development, warning that terrorism and separatism continue to pose grave threats. Referring to the tragic Pahalgam attack, which claimed dozens of lives, he reminded member nations that India has faced the scourge…

Priya Talreja, an urban planner from Fremont, California, has been selected as one of only five recipients nationwide to receive the 2025 Fulbright-National Geographic Award. The $20,000 fellowship will support her innovative research in the Azores, Portugal, focusing on sustainable transportation strategies tailored to local communities. Talreja, a graduate of Mission San Jose High School and the University of California, Davis, where she studied Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning, currently works in New York on projects promoting transportation electrification. Through her Fulbright fellowship, she will collaborate with residents and local stakeholders in the Azores to create a geospatial mapping tool…

India is on the verge of signing a landmark defense agreement with U.S. aerospace giant General Electric (GE) for fighter jet engines, a move set to strengthen the country’s indigenous combat aircraft initiatives. Sources familiar with the discussions reveal that India is finalizing the purchase of 113 GE-404 engines, valued at approximately $1 billion, to power Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A fleet. This contract, anticipated to be concluded by September, adds to an earlier agreement for 99 GE-404 engines, bringing HAL’s total engine requirements to 212. Completing this acquisition will reduce potential supply bottlenecks and…

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt have reached a milestone they have long awaited—the completion of their six-storey bungalow in Mumbai, reportedly valued at $30 million. While undeniably a symbol of luxury, the residence represents something far deeper: family legacy, love, and continuity. The house stands on grounds steeped in Kapoor history. Once home to Ranbir’s legendary grandparents, Raj Kapoor and Krishna Raj Kapoor, the property later belonged to his parents, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor, who moved in during the 1980s. Now, the torch passes once again, with Ranbir and Alia preparing to raise their daughter, Raha, in the same cherished…