Author: Shradhanjali Mukherjee

Five Indian American educators and a mentor have been awarded the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). These honors celebrate their outstanding contributions to STEM education and mentorship. The winners, recognized by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation, will receive a $10,000 award, a certificate signed by the President, and an invitation to recognition events in Washington, D.C. Indian American PAEMST Winners: Vivekanand Balija of New Jersey, an experienced middle school science teacher and…

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, alongside US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, inaugurated the new US Consulate in Bengaluru, marking a significant milestone in India-US relations. Emphasizing the consulate’s importance, Jaishankar also announced India’s plans to open a consulate in Los Angeles, Garcetti’s hometown. “Bengaluru’s prominence made it imperative to establish a permanent US diplomatic presence here. This has been a long-awaited step,” Jaishankar stated, adding that consulates play a critical role in fostering travel and collaboration. In his speech, Jaishankar stressed the evolving India-US partnership, highlighting Bengaluru’s role in maximizing the relationship’s potential. He expressed hope for more countries…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the $8th Pay Commission, a landmark move to revise the salaries of 5 million central government employees and enhance allowances for 6.5 million pensioners. This decision is expected to stimulate consumption and improve living standards for millions of government workers across India. Sharing the development on social media, PM Modi praised government employees for their contributions toward building a “Viksit Bharat” and emphasized how the new pay panel will positively impact quality of life and consumption patterns. The announcement was made by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who stated that the chairman and…

India and the U.S. have announced a groundbreaking partnership to co-produce sonobuoys, advanced technology used for detecting submarines underwater. These systems will be assembled in India, with the aim of establishing an operational production line by 2027, according to Ultra Maritime (UM), the U.S. company involved in the project. The final assembly of these U.S.-specification sonobuoys will be conducted in India, with co-production efforts carried out in partnership with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a state-owned defense company. This groundbreaking partnership was announced following the visit of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to India last week. The announcement highlights the…

NASA has postponed the launch of SpaceX Crew 10, which was originally scheduled for February 2025. The new expected launch date is now late March 2025. This delay impacts the return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were supposed to come back to Earth as part of the SpaceX Crew 9 mission. Williams and Wilmore, who launched into space on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, have been stuck in space for months after NASA decided to replace the faulty Starliner with a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The two astronauts are now expected to return only after…

Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have seen a 43% increase in average loan disbursal amounts over three years, rising from $406.47 to $580.67, as per IIFL Capital’s Financial Stability Report. However, concerns remain regarding borrower delinquencies, particularly for those with multiple loans or significant credit exposure. Nearly half of unsecured loan borrowers also carry a live retail loan, frequently a high-value one. During FY23, 11% of borrowers with personal loans exceeding $580.67 had overdue payments, and over 60% had taken out more than three loans. By Q2 FY25, nearly 60% of personal loan recipients had multiple active loans at origination, adding to…

Sudha Setty, an Indian-American legal scholar and the current dean of the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, has been named the new president and CEO of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), effective July 1. Setty succeeds Kellye Testy, who left LSAC to become the executive director and CEO of the Association of American Law Schools. In her statement, Setty expressed honor at being selected for the role, noting that LSAC’s work in expanding access to legal education is more crucial than ever. She emphasized the importance of collaboration in addressing key challenges facing law schools,…

Shekar Krishnan, the first Indian-American elected to the New York City Council, took office on January 1, 2022, and was re-elected in November 2023. Representing District 25, which includes Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Woodside in Queens, he serves some of the most diverse immigrant communities globally. In an insightful conversation with Ishani Duttagupta from the Times of India, Krishnan reflected on his role as a former civil rights lawyer and community activist. He also addressed key issues affecting Indian Americans in his district and voiced concerns about the increasing hate speech and online bigotry targeting the community. Krishnan expressed immense…

IndiaAI, a division under Digital India Corporation, has formed a strategic partnership with Microsoft through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the adoption and development of artificial intelligence (AI) in India. The initiative aims to support the goals of the IndiaAI Mission, enhancing the country’s AI capabilities. As part of the agreement, Microsoft will assist IndiaAI in training 500,000 people, including students, educators, developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs, by 2026. This collaboration will also focus on establishing AI Catalysts in Tier II and III cities, helping to develop 100,000 AI innovators and developers through hackathons and a dedicated…

Microsoft Corp. is set to invest $3 billion in India, aiming to strengthen the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and expand its Azure cloud-computing business, as confirmed by CEO Satya Nadella on January 7, 2025. This investment marks the company’s largest expansion in India to date. Nadella expressed excitement about this significant investment, stating, “We are thrilled to announce our largest expansion ever in India, with an additional $3 billion to enhance our Azure cloud capacity.” He also pointed out that Microsoft is focusing heavily on regional expansion within India. The tech giant has ambitious plans to help build India’s…