Author: Shradhanjali Mukherjee

Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old from Florida, triumphed in the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night. He outlasted seven other finalists and secured victory by defeating his final competitor in the competition’s second-ever spell-off. During this intense round, Bruhat correctly spelled 29 words, while his rival, 12-year-old Faizan Zaki from Texas, managed to spell 20 words. After Bruhat was declared the champion, the two competitors shared a congratulatory handshake. The spell-off is a special round that comes into play when the competition reaches a certain duration and multiple contestants remain. According to the Bee’s rules, the contestant who spells…

Reflecting on her personal immigration journey from India to the US at the age of 16, Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal renews her advocacy for immigration reform. In a video shared as part of the #SpreadAAPILove campaign initiated by STOP AAPI Hate during Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Heritage Month, Jayapal recounts navigating the intricate immigration system. Arriving in the US with $5,000 from her parents to pursue her American dream, Jayapal spent 17 years navigating the complexities of immigration before becoming a US citizen two decades ago. She highlights her parents’ sacrifice, who believed in her…

Anasuya Sengupta has made India proud as the first Indian actress to win the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. She received this prestigious accolade for her portrayal of Renuka in the film “The Shameless.” Interestingly, Anasuya revealed on Instagram that the outfit she wore for the award ceremony was a last-minute purchase from a flea market in Cannes. In her post, she shared a series of photos from the event, including one where she is dressed in a white outfit paired with chunky gold jewelry. Other photos feature her with co-star Omara and director Konstantin Bojanov, and…

Senator Toby Ann Stavisky honored Dr. Hari Shukla with the Liberty Medal on the Senate floor, celebrating his significant contributions to neo-natal pediatric medicine. Dr. Shukla, a long-time resident of Queens, has operated a medical practice in Flushing for over thirty years, primarily serving the South Asian community and treating thousands of young patients. Dr. Shukla has earned international recognition for his advancements in treating premature infants. His most notable contribution is the development of a mathematical formula, known as “Shukla’s formula,” which enhances the safe administration of critical fluids and medications to premature babies both intravenously and via the…

Google, operating under its parent company Alphabet, is exploring the possibility of establishing drone manufacturing facilities in Tamil Nadu, India, as part of its expansion strategy into the Indian market. Discussions are reportedly underway between the tech giant and the Tamil Nadu government to set up production plants for drones. If the plans proceed according to Google’s intentions, drones manufactured in India will be exported to countries like the US and Australia, according to a report by Moneycontrol. Alphabet’s subsidiary, Wing LLC, renowned for its drone delivery services, will lead the manufacturing efforts in Tamil Nadu. This move aligns with…

The government is strategizing its approach to artificial intelligence (AI) by crafting a unique foundational model tailored to suit the specific needs of Indian entities, including businesses, innovators, educators, and scholars. This ambitious endeavor is set to kick off with an initial investment of US$ 240.2 million (Rs. 2,000 crore) post the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It aims to position India among the ranks of countries like China and the US, which have already initiated similar ventures. Spearheading this initiative is the IndiaAI Innovation Centre, established as part of the US$ 1.20 billion (Rs. 10,000 crore) IndiaAI Mission. According to…

On May 9, US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the names of the 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the US Presidential Scholars. He highlighted that these students represent the pinnacle of academic excellence in the nation’s schools and embody hope for a promising future for the country. Celebrating their achievements on behalf of President Biden, Cardona encouraged these scholars to continue striving for greatness, support others, and embrace leadership opportunities. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects these scholars annually based on their academic success, excellence in the arts, technical education, essays, school…

Krish Pai, a 17-year-old Indian American from Del Mar, California, won the second Regeneron Young Scientist Award, receiving $50,000 at the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the largest pre-college science and engineering competition globally. He was honored for his machine-learning research aimed at identifying microbial genetic sequences capable of biodegrading plastic. On May 17, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and the Society for Science announced his win. Pai developed a software named Microby, which scans microorganism databases to find candidates for genetic modification to degrade plastics. His tests revealed two microorganisms that could be genetically altered to break down plastic…

Actor Manoj Bajpayee revealed that despite having refined tastes and enjoying champagne, he maintains a ‘middle-class life’. In an interview, he disclosed that he intentionally opted for a small, basic car over a fancy, fully-equipped one because he lacks the know-how to operate the latter. He emphasized the endless nature of human ambition and the tendency to accumulate more wealth than necessary. Discussing his views on money during an appearance on the RealHit YouTube channel, Bajpayee stressed the importance of having sufficient funds for medical expenses and children’s education to live comfortably without borrowing. He acknowledged that while there are…

For the past two years, Deepika Padukone has launched India’s box office with remarkable success. In 2023, she reunited with her Om Shanti Om co-star Shah Rukh Khan for the espionage thriller Pathaan. This film garnered $76 million in India and surpassed the $100 million global box office milestone without a release in China. This year, Padukone starred in the Hindi aviation action film Fighter, directed by Siddharth Anand, which achieved $43 million globally within 30 days. Padukone emphasizes that while box office success and accolades are significant, her personal experiences and interactions on set hold the most value for…