Author: Shradhanjali Mukherjee

The Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program introduced its ninth annual class in January 2024, featuring five Indian-Americans among the 60 scholars selected. Henish Bhansali, Nina Kshetry, Amol S. Naik, Neeti Sanyal, and Shashank Sinha join the program, offering them an opportunity to explore leadership through the experiences of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidencies. Dr. Henish Bhansali, as the chief medical officer of Medical Home Network, has spearheaded healthcare transformation for low-income patients. His initiative in the program focuses on understanding care teams’ needs and aligning operations with patient outcomes at FQHCs.…

Approximately 44 percent of India’s current energy needs are met by non-fossil sources, with projections indicating a potential increase to as high as 65 percent by 2030, surpassing the commitments made at the COP26 summit in 2021, stated Union Minister RK Singh. During COP26 in Glasgow, India made a comprehensive pledge known as “Panchamrit,” aiming to achieve various targets by 2030. These included reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy from renewables, reducing emissions by 1 billion tonnes, decreasing emissions intensity of GDP by 45 percent, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. Speaking at The…

Indian women from the Tri-Service are representing the nation at the World Defence Show (WDS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, demonstrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of empowering women across sectors. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth, Colonel Ponung Doming, and Lieutenant Commander Annu Prakash are showcasing India’s military prowess and capabilities at WDS 2024, particularly in events focused on International Women in Defence. Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth, a trailblazing fighter pilot, shared her journey and insights on leadership at the seminar ‘International Women in Defence – Investing in an Inclusive Future,’ gaining admiration for her…

Microsoft’s Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella, announced plans to train over two million individuals in India in generative AI skills, aiming to alleviate the talent shortage in the AI era. Speaking at an event, Nadella emphasized the importance of equipping youth with the necessary skills to thrive in the evolving AI landscape, stressing the role of both skills development and job creation in the AI sector. Highlighting India’s strong pool of software developers and its growing AI engineering community on Microsoft-owned platform Github, Nadella underscored the increasing participation of rural India in the AI economy. He expressed enthusiasm about India’s…

Aura, a digital security firm headquartered in Boston, has appointed Ravi Narula as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen its financial leadership. According to an official statement from the company, this decision aligns with Aura’s objectives to drive revenue growth and improve its market position. Before joining Aura, Narula held the position of CFO at Certinia, where he played a crucial role in implementing significant business changes that led to notable enhancements in both revenue and profitability. His efforts ultimately contributed to a successful exit and added substantial value for shareholders. Prior…

In the fiscal 2024 first quarter, Apple, under the leadership of CEO Tim Cook, achieved robust double-digit growth in India, marking another quarter of record revenue in the country. Despite a 2 percent year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue to $119.6 billion, Cook emphasized India’s standout performance along with records in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and Chile. India’s smartphone shipments, despite remaining flat at 152 million units in 2023, saw Apple surpassing the 10-million-unit mark and securing the top position in revenue for the calendar year. Cook, responding to analyst inquiries, reiterated India’s substantial revenue growth in strong double digits during the…

The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has expanded its board of directors by appointing Raj Shah, co-CEO of MSI Surfaces, and Prashant Ruia, director at Essar Capital. With a substantial role at Essar since 1985, Ruia has played a key part in the company’s growth and diversification, steering it towards a greener economy and sustainable businesses. Ruia sees his appointment as an opportunity to strengthen economic ties between the United States and India, emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and sustainability. On the other hand, Raj Shah, co-CEO at MSI Surfaces, whose family founded the company in 1975, brings his expertise to the…

In her presentation of the interim budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a significant positive transformation in the Indian economy over the past decade, with an emphasis on comprehensive progress guided by the vision of “Together for All, Development for All, and Trust for All”. Despite challenges posed by the once-in-a-century pandemic, Sitharaman noted the country’s successful stride towards building an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). She addressed concerns about food security by announcing free ration provision for 800 million people, alleviating worries. Sitharaman highlighted the impact of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), emphasizing increased funds for the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana…

Indian American philanthropist-entrepreneur Sunil Wadhwani has made a substantial donation of US$ 13,256,848 to his alma mater, IIT Madras, for the establishment of the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI. This generous gift, marked by a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Wadhwani and IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti, is regarded as one of the largest contributions by an alumnus to create a school at an Indian educational institution. The Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI aspires to become a leading global institution in the field. Beyond academic pursuits, its vision extends to providing guidance to government officials…

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has earned a place of distinction at New York’s Madame Tussauds Museum, where his wax statue was revealed on Tuesday. The unveiling event took place in Delhi, attended by Baba Ramdev himself. The wax figure portrays him in the Vrikshasana pose, standing on one leg with the other bent and the sole against the inner thigh. Expressing his honor, Baba Ramdev stated, “I feel honored that my wax statue is being installed at Madame Tussauds in New York. It’s not just recognition for me but also for yoga, ayurveda, and India’s eternal culture.” He emphasized that…