Author: Shradhanjali Mukherjee

On December 19, 2024, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the opening of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) Annual Convention at IIT Delhi. He urged scientists and engineers to specialize in cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing to position India as a global leader in innovation. Singh emphasized that proficiency in these technologies is vital for the nation’s progress and well-being. Discussing India’s shift towards self-reliance, Singh highlighted initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, including Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the Technology Development Fund (TDF), which aim to harness the talent of…

Health professionals in the UK have launched the 100-4-100 Project, an ambitious campaign to transform surgical care in India and the Global South. This initiative aims to raise $100 million to bring reliable, clean energy to 100 hospitals in remote areas, improving their ability to provide essential health services. The project, launched by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery at the University of Birmingham, is addressing the ongoing challenge of power outages in hospitals across the Global South. According to the University of Birmingham, nearly 88% of these hospitals face…

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has recently reported that India is now the main contributor to global oil consumption growth in 2024 and 2025, surpassing China. For nearly two decades, from 1998 to 2023, China’s oil consumption outpaced India’s every year, consistently leading global oil demand growth. However, India is now forecast to account for a quarter of the total growth in global oil demand.  The EIA predicts that global liquid fuel consumption will rise by 0.9 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2024, with even greater growth expected in 2025, reaching 1.3 million bpd. This surge in demand is…

India and China have reaffirmed their commitment to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, improve cross-border river cooperation, and promote Nathula border trade during the 23rd Special Representatives meeting on the boundary question, held on December 18, 2024, in Beijing. This marks the first such meeting in five years, following the leaders’ consensus in Kazan. In discussions led by Wang Yi (Chinese Special Representative) and Ajit Doval (Indian Special Representative), both sides agreed to bolster mechanisms for diplomatic and military negotiations to ensure peace along the border. Plans were set for a follow-up meeting in India next year to further these…

India is poised for a remarkable surge in energy storage capacity, with projections indicating a 12-fold growth to around 60 GW by FY32, according to a recent SBI report. This expansion is expected to surpass the growth rate of renewable energy generation. The integration of energy storage in renewable projects has climbed from 5% in FY20 to 23% in FY24. As variable renewable energy (VRE) is set to triple in power generation share by FY32, concerns over grid stability are intensifying due to potential mismatches between VRE output and peak electricity demand. Energy Storage Systems (ESS) will play a crucial…

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the BJP government in Rajasthan, led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, stating that their double-engine administration is setting new standards for good governance. Speaking at the ‘Ek Varsh-Parinaam Utkarsh’ event marking one year of the BJP government in Rajasthan, PM Modi underscored the public’s growing trust in the BJP, citing recent election wins in Maharashtra, Haryana, and the Lok Sabha. He noted that BJP’s consecutive victories reflect widespread confidence in the party’s governance. “BJP’s double-engine government is now seen as a guarantee of good governance,” PM Modi stated. He commended CM Bhajanlal Sharma…

Mehtab Sandhu has been appointed as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court by California Governor Gavin Newsom. With an extensive legal background, Sandhu has been serving as an Assistant City Attorney for Anaheim since 2022. Prior to that, he was a Deputy City Attorney and Community Prosecutor for Anaheim from 2021 to 2022 and worked as a Deputy District Attorney in San Bernardino County from 2012 to 2021. In 2012, Sandhu also worked as an Associate at the firm Bernstein, Litowitz, Berger & Grossman. Sandhu steps into this role following the retirement of Judge Steven Bromberg. He is…

Over the past three years, more than 30 million workers have successfully registered on the e-Shram portal, according to information shared in the Lok Sabha. Union Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Pankaj Chaudhary, reported that the number of people enrolled in the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has also risen sharply. For instance, in the fiscal year 2014-15, approximately 158 million were registered, while this figure surged to over 290 million by 2023-24. The e-Shram portal’s primary purpose is to create a detailed database of workers in the unorganised sector, enabling the government to implement focused welfare schemes tailored…

The One Station One Product (OSOP) initiative, a government scheme designed to promote local crafts and products at railway stations throughout India, has experienced substantial growth. The program now boasts 1,854 operational outlets showcasing a diverse range of Indian products. Central Railway alone operates 157 of these outlets, demonstrating strong support for the initiative. Within the Central Railway, the Bhusaval Division stands out with 25 successful OSOP outlets, all managed by women, highlighting the significant role women play in the initiative. Bhusaval Divisional Railway Manager Ity Pandey emphasized that these outlets contribute positively to the local economy. The widespread adoption…

Dr. Pooja Khatri, MD, MS, has been appointed as the new chair of the Department of Neurology and chief of neurology at Yale New Haven Hospital and Health System, effective April 1, 2025. Dr. Khatri brings over 20 years of NIH and industry-supported research expertise, focusing on acute stroke therapy, the prevention of early stroke recurrence, radiological biomarkers, and clinical trial design. She has significantly advanced stroke treatment, particularly demonstrating the time-dependent benefits of endovascular therapy. Dr. Khatri’s current NIH-backed research includes several groundbreaking projects, such as the first-ever platform trial in stroke, a dose-finding study for a monoclonal antibody…