The landscape of Indian corporate conglomerates valued over US$ 100 billion has recently expanded, now comprising eight entities. This growth was primarily fueled by a robust surge in domestic equities. Among the recent additions to this elite group are Sunil Mittal’s Bharti Airtel group, the ICICI Bank group, and Kumar Mangalam Birla’s Aditya Birla group. The leading conglomerate remains the venerable Tata group, boasting a combined market capitalization of over US$ 366 billion. It is closely followed by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group at US$ 267 billion and Gautam Adani’s Adani group at US$ 205 billion. Together, these eight conglomerates command…
Author: Nupur Rohila
Local exit polls in India suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely win a legislative majority, putting him on track for an unprecedented third consecutive term in office. His alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party is driving this campaign. Several pollsters, including India Today (Axis My India), Today’s Chanakya, Times Now (ETG), C-Voter, and CSDS-Lokniti, have released their exit poll forecasts for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. The local news channel NDTV published an exit poll summary, predicting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to win approximately 365 out of the 543 seats in the lower house of parliament.…
India, in collaboration with Norway, UNICEF, UNFPA, and PMNCH, organized a side event in Geneva focusing on the health and wellbeing of women, children, and adolescents. Held during the 77th World Health Assembly, the event underscored India’s dedication to proactive measures in addressing the health needs of these demographic groups. Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary, led the Indian delegation, highlighting the progress and initiatives undertaken by India in this domain. The event aimed to share emerging evidence and insights, fostering discussions on crucial opportunities for investing in maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. It advocated for sustained and increased investment,…
The Maldives is poised to implement India’s RuPay payment system, a significant move expected to bolster the Maldivian Rufiyaa. While the exact launch date remains undisclosed, this initiative is viewed as a critical step toward enhancing the nation’s financial stability. Maldives’ Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, noted that India and China have agreed to use their local currencies for bilateral trade. This approach aims to decrease dependence on the US dollar and promote regional financial integration. Recent reports confirm that the Maldives has affirmed collaboration between India and China to enable import payments in their own currencies.…
Harleen Marwah, a Pediatric Resident Physician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, holds the role of Founding Chair for Medical Students for a Sustainable Future. This group, comprising medical students, is dedicated to mitigating and tackling the health impacts associated with climate change. Marwah’s efforts in this regard were recognized when she received the 2020 Emerging Physician Leader Award from Health Care Without Harm. This accolade acknowledges individuals, like Marwah, who demonstrate a fervent dedication to sustainable healthcare practices and a strong commitment to combating climate change. With a background in engaging youth and addressing the nexus of healthcare and climate…
In Uttar Pradesh, recent incidents have come to light involving Ghar Wapsi, where Muslim women have embraced Sanatan Dharma in Bareilly and Sitapur districts. In Bareilly, Nisha, now Radhika, married Rajesh Kumar, while in Sitapur, Nida Bano, now Nidhi, married Rachit Kumar. Both weddings, occurring on May 18, 2024, were conducted with Vedic rituals amidst chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ by Hindu organizations. On May 18, Nisha and Rajesh approached the Agastya Muni Ashram in Bareilly, presenting their proof of adulthood to Pandit K.K. Shankhdhar, expressing their wish to marry. After verifying their legal documents, Pandit Shankhdhar conducted their marriage…
Indian-American attorney Jaya Badiga, recognized as a certified family law specialist, has been appointed as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court in California, USA. Selected as one of the court’s three new judges, Badiga fills the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Robert S. Lapham, following an appointment by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Previously, Badiga served as a Commissioner at the Sacramento County Superior Court from 2022. Born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, she is the daughter of Badiga Ramakrishna, an industrialist and former Member of Parliament for Machilipatnam Lok Sabha constituency. Badiga pursued her Bachelor’s degree in…
Indian American professor Shrinivas R. Kulkarni has been honored with the 2024 Shaw Prize in Astronomy for his significant contributions to the study of millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other variable or transient astronomical phenomena. Kulkarni, who holds the George Ellery Hale Professorship of Astronomy and Planetary Science at the California Institute of Technology, was recognized alongside three other laureates by the Shaw Prize Foundation in Hong Kong on May 21. The astronomy selection committee commended Kulkarni for his leadership in time-domain astronomy, particularly through the creation and management of the Palomar Transient Factory and the Zwicky Transient Facility.…
The BJP’s senior leadership will continue their campaign for the Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to address rallies in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. Modi will conduct public meetings in the Basti and Shrawasti Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, which are set to vote in the sixth phase on May 25. Following these events, he will travel to the Dwarka constituency in West Delhi to address another rally. Modi’s campaign in Delhi is strategically significant as the BJP aims to challenge the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in light of the alleged Swati Maliwal assault…
Gopi Thotakura, an accomplished entrepreneur and pilot, has distinguished himself as the first Indian to travel into space as a tourist on Blue Origin’s NS-25 mission, initiated by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Thotakura was among the six individuals chosen for this mission, which launched from West Texas and ascended to the edge of space on a Sunday. Another notable passenger on this flight was Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate from the 1960s United States space program. At 90 years and eight months old, Dwight became the oldest person to journey into space. Upon landing, he expressed his exhilaration,…