Author: Nupur Rohila

In celebration of the 78th Independence Day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is rolling out a vibrant series of events, headlined by the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign from August 11 to August 15. This initiative will see BJP leaders and supporters marching through cities and towns nationwide from August 11 to August 14. On August 14, the party will mark ‘Vibhajan Vivishika Diwas’ to honor the memories of Partition, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2021 declaration of this date as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day. The campaign’s culmination from August 13 to August 15 will involve a widespread effort…

In a promising development, recent figures from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveal a decline in hunger in India. According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2024) report, the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) has dropped from 16.6 percent in 2020-2022 to 13.7 percent in 2021-2023. This decrease signifies that approximately 39.3 million people have moved out of undernourishment during this period, as noted by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand on Tuesday. Chand shared these findings with journalists at a press conference held to announce the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural…

At the Paris Olympics, Swapnil Kusale advanced to the final of the 50m Rifle 3 Positions men’s event, finishing seventh in the qualifications. Kusale tallied 590 points, including 38 inner 10s, over the 60-shot qualifying round. Kusale’s performance began strongly with two scores of 99 in the kneeling position, establishing a strong base. He continued his solid performance in the prone position with scores of 98 and 99. Although his scores slightly dipped in the standing position, where he achieved 98 and 97, his overall result was sufficient to secure a final spot. In contrast, Indian shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh…

The Indian economy is projected to grow beyond 7 percent, potentially reaching up to 7.5 percent in the current fiscal year, according to the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). This optimistic outlook is attributed to a normal monsoon season and decreased electoral uncertainty. In its July 2024 Monthly Economic Review, NCAER noted that India’s real GDP increased by 8.2 percent in FY2023-24, driven by robust consumption demand and steadily improving investment demand. Poonam Gupta, NCAER’s director general, highlighted that the growth forecast is based on the current momentum in high-frequency indicators, a normalized monsoon, a favorable global outlook,…

Manu Bhaker broke India’s 12-year drought for an Olympic shooting medal, earning a bronze in the 10m air pistol event at the Paris Games on Sunday. This victory marks the first time an Indian woman has stood on the Olympic podium in this discipline. The last time Indian shooters clinched Olympic medals was in 2012, when Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang each secured bronze at the London Games. Since then, Indian shooting teams went through two Olympic cycles without a medal. At just 22 years old, Manu Bhaker faced intense competition and managed to score 221.7 points to secure her…

An ex-adviser to former President Bill Clinton has speculated that Donald Trump might replace Senator JD Vance as his vice presidential running mate. This speculation comes amid rumors of Trump experiencing regrets about his choice, especially since President Joe Biden’s withdrawal and endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris as the likely Democratic nominee. Despite Trump publicly defending Vance, claiming he is “doing a fantastic job” and has been “very well received,” concerns persist about whether Vance could be a liability for Republicans in the upcoming election. Paul Begala, who served as a White House adviser and chief strategist during Clinton’s…

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has underscored the transformative impact of the Union Budget 2024-25 on India’s marine sector. The new budget introduces several key reforms aimed at revitalizing aquaculture and boosting seafood exports. Notable changes include the rationalization of customs duties and the enhancement of financing facilities. Specific measures involve exemptions from customs duties on essential feed inputs like mineral and vitamin pre-mixes, krill meal, fish lipid oil, and algal oil. Import duties on Artemia and Artemia cysts, crucial for aqua hatcheries, have also been removed. Additionally, the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on inputs for aquafarms and…

On Wednesday, a prominent Canadian MP of Indian descent criticized the growing influence of Khalistani extremists in Canada, claiming they are “polluting” the nation by misusing the freedoms granted under the Charter of Rights. This statement followed an incident where the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton was vandalized with anti-India graffiti. Chandra Arya, MP for Nepean and a member of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, highlighted the incident on social media. He condemned the temple vandalism and expressed concern about hate-driven violence by Khalistan supporters. Arya also shared that separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun from Sikhs for Justice had released…

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization based in Washington D.C., has appointed Indian-American Navin Girishankar as the president of its newly established Economic Security and Technology Department. This new department aims to integrate various CSIS programs to provide research on economic and technology policies critical to U.S. national security. It will concentrate on key areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, energy security, critical minerals, and advanced technologies including digital, quantum, and cybersecurity. Previously, Girishankar served as a senior counselor to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce, where he played a pivotal role…

In a recent parliamentary presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Economic Survey, which projects India’s GDP growth rate for the 2024-25 fiscal year to be between 6.5% and 7%. This optimistic forecast highlights the economy’s robust position despite global uncertainties. The survey notes that the global economic growth rate is expected to be 3.2% in 2023, according to the April World Economic Outlook. Variations in growth rates among countries are attributed to domestic structural challenges, differing levels of exposure to geopolitical conflicts, and the effects of tighter monetary policies. India has managed to sustain the growth momentum achieved in…