Author: Malavika Subramanyan

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…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending warm wishes on Ukraine’s Independence Day, while also urging India to step up its role in promoting peace and diplomacy amid the continuing war with Russia. Taking to social media platform X, Zelensky thanked Modi for his message and highlighted the importance of India’s voice in global conflict resolution. “Thank you, Prime Minister @narendramodi, for the warm greetings on Ukraine’s Independence Day. We appreciate India’s dedication to peace and dialogue. Now, as the entire world strives to end this horrible war with dignity and lasting peace,…

Despite high-profile meetings between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to fuel global uncertainty. Tariff disputes have further intensified trade tensions, but a quiet realignment is underway. From Moscow to Beijing to New Delhi, the emergence of an India-China-Russia triad is reshaping the economic map. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India by late 2025, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is preparing to attend the SCO Summit in China after seven years. Experts believe these moves signal the strengthening of a powerful bloc that challenges Western dominance in both trade and defense.…

 The Japanese government has announced plans to double its private-sector investment target in India, aiming for 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) over the next decade, according to reports from Tokyo. The new commitment is expected to be confirmed during a meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tokyo on August 29. This expanded investment target builds on Japan’s previous goal of 5 trillion yen over five years, announced in March 2022 by then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Japanese businesses have already contributed nearly 1 trillion yen annually to India, and the new target is…

India’s Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, has described the India-Japan relationship as having taken a “quantum leap” in recent years, stressing that the scope for cooperation is boundless. In an exclusive conversation, George emphasized that New Delhi and Tokyo share civilizational bonds that have matured into a modern-day “Special Strategic and Global Partnership,” first formalized in 2014. He noted that the partnership now covers political exchanges, defense cooperation, business ties, technology, people-to-people connections, and even space exploration. “Sky is not even the limit,” he remarked, underscoring that collaboration between Indian states and Japanese prefectures has added a fresh dimension. Reflecting…