Author: Nupur Rohila

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla has been selected as the lead astronaut for the forthcoming Indo-US mission to the International Space Station (ISS), according to an announcement from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This decision follows the agreement made between India and the US during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit in June 2023, which outlined a collaborative ISRO-NASA mission to the ISS. To achieve this joint mission, ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) has signed a Space Flight Agreement with NASA’s service provider, Axiom Space Inc., for the Axiom-4 mission. According to ISRO, a National Mission…

During External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Laos, a special commemorative postage stamp set featuring Lord Ram from Ayodhya was jointly released by India and Laos. This stamp set is notable for being the first in the world to depict Shri Ram Lalla of Ayodhya. Jaishankar, who was in Laos for ASEAN meetings, shared on X that he, along with Lao PDR’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, unveiled this unique stamp set. The stamps honor the cultural connections between the Ramayana and Buddhism that bind the two nations. The set includes two stamps: one depicting…

Kanak Jha, the 24-year-old Indian American table tennis sensation, is making waves at the Paris Olympics. Previously seen at the Rio and Tokyo Games, Jha has now shattered records, becoming the first male American table tennis player to reach the round of 16 since 1992, a feat last achieved by Jimmy Butler. Remarkably, he is the only US player in this year’s event. Jha’s journey in Paris has been nothing short of spectacular. His Olympic campaign kicked off with a dramatic victory over Korea’s Cho Daeseong, the 20th-ranked player in the world, defeating him 4-2. This win was especially impressive…

In the first quarter of FY25, India has seen strong growth in the production of crucial minerals such as iron ore and limestone, following record-breaking output in FY24. Iron ore and limestone together make up about 80% of the value of total MCDR mineral production. In FY24, production levels reached 275 million metric tons (MMT) for iron ore and 450 MMT for limestone. This increase is attributed to high demand from industries including steel and cement, reflecting ongoing robust economic activity in sectors like energy, infrastructure, construction, automotive, and machinery. Provisional figures for the non-ferrous metal sector reveal a 1.2%…

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…