Must Read News

Dr. Narasimha Reddy Receives Texas A&M Regents Award

Dr. Narasimha Reddy, a professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Regents Professor Award. This honor represents the highest accolade a faculty member can achieve within the Texas A&M University System. The Regents Professor Award, established in 1996, recognizes faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to their universities and the broader community in Texas. Dr. Reddy is one of five faculty members from the College of Engine ..... Read More

From 2nd Lady to FBI Head: Key Indian-Americans for Trump 2.0

As Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, he has announced key appointments in his administration, including four individuals of Indian origin. These appointments come even before Trump officially takes office and signal a significant involvement of the Indian diaspora in shaping US governance. Among those appointed is Usha Vance, who will assume the role of Second Lady once her husband, JD Vance, becomes Vice President. Usha’s parents, originally from Andhra Pradesh, ..... Read More

Indian Americans Honored for Enriching Flower Mound’s Community

The Flower Mound Town Council in Texas has honored two Indian Americans, Kirti Patel and Samadhi Basnayake, with the 2024 Outstanding Citizenship Award for their contributions to community life. Their dedication highlights a blend of experience and youthful enthusiasm, both aimed at enhancing the quality of life in Flower Mound. Kirti Patel was named the winner in the individual category. For over 15 years, she has organized community events like Holi and Diwali, promoting unity and cultural awareness. She leads the Dancing Diva group, a collec ..... Read More

Indian-Americans Rally to Protest Violence Against Hindus in Bangladesh

Indian-Americans are planning peaceful rallies in Washington, D.C., and Chicago to protest recent attacks on the Hindu minority in Bangladesh, organizers announced. The ‘Genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh’ protest, organized by HinduACTion, will take place near the White House on December 9. In Chicago, a similar event, ‘Stop the Genocide: Save Hindu Lives in Bangladesh,’ will be held on December 8, led by prominent community leaders. A website, www.stophindugenocide.org, highlights the escalating violence and calls for in ..... Read More

RBI Permits Small Banks to Offer UPI Credit Lines

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has authorized small finance banks (SFBs) to offer pre-approved credit lines via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a service that was previously restricted to scheduled commercial banks. This new provision is intended to promote financial inclusion by granting “new-to-credit” individuals and small businesses access to formal credit. By linking these pre-sanctioned credit lines to UPI, customers can easily access overdrafts, retail loans, and other credit facilities directly through their UPI-enabl ..... Read More

India Finalises $4 Billion Defence Radar Deal with Russia

India is on the verge of finalising a significant $4 billion defence agreement with Russia to procure a cutting-edge long-range early-warning radar system. This acquisition is set to greatly enhance India’s missile detection and air defence capabilities. The radar belongs to Russia’s Voronezh series, known for its ability to detect ballistic missiles and aircraft from distances of up to 8,000 kilometers. Such advanced coverage, previously available only to major world powers, represents a substantial advancement in India’s defence readine ..... Read More

PM Modi to Launch LIC’s Bima Sakhi Yojana to Empower Rural Women

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate LIC’s Bima Sakhi Yojana in Panipat, Haryana on Monday. The event will be attended by Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. The initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of empowering women to build a developed India. The Bima Sakhi Yojana aims to create job opportunities for rural women by appointing them as insurance agents. Women participating in this scheme will receive financial support of up to $84 pe ..... Read More

Global music stars flock to India, driven by young fans.

India’s surging interest in live entertainment, particularly among young, affluent individuals, is attracting global music icons to perform in the world’s most populated nation. Over the past week, Mumbai hosted performances by Dua Lipa and Maroon 5. Upcoming shows by Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, and Green Day are scheduled over the next three months. The appeal of seeing these artists live is immense, especially for fans like 23-year-old Aseem Khan from Bhopal, who expressed his excitement while waiting in line for Dua Lipa’s ..... Read More

Akshay Bhatia, Sahith Theegala Shine in Hero World Challenge

Akshay Bhatia and Sahith Theegala, both young Indian-Americans, marked impressive tournament debuts by securing third place at the $5 million Hero World Challenge on Thursday at Albany in the Bahamas. They were joined in the third spot by the world’s number one golfer and defending champion, Scottie Scheffler. All three players, along with Patrick Cantlay from the U.S. and Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, posted 5-under-par 67s. They finished three strokes behind the leader, Cameron Young, who fired a stunning 8-under 64. Justin Thomas, second w ..... Read More

Govt Approves 85 New Kendriya Vidyalayas and 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that the Union Cabinet has approved the opening of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) to make quality school education more accessible across India. This move, in line with the National Education Policy, aims to benefit a large number of students while generating employment opportunities. Additionally, the Cabinet has sanctioned the establishment of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) to extend residential and high-quality education to more regions. The government’s decision to open these KVs and ..... Read More

Sunita Williams and Sneha Revanur Among BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women of 2024

Two Indian American women, NASA astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams and 20-year-old AI advocate Sneha Revanur, have earned a place in the BBC’s list of 100 inspiring and influential women for 2024. Sneha Revanur is the founder of Encode Justice, a global youth-led movement advocating for ethical AI. With over 1,300 members in 30 countries, her work ensures young voices are included in discussions around AI safety and fairness. Meanwhile, Sunita Williams continues to display remarkable resilience, currently aboard the Boeing Starliner on ..... Read More

Tejaswini Sudhakar Wins Prestigious Most Promising Young Poet Award

Tejaswini (Teja) Sudhakar, a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) ’25 candidate at Indiana University’s College of Arts and Sciences, has been honored with the Aliki Perroti and Seth Frank Most Promising Young Poet Award. This recognition comes from the Academy of American Poets. This prestigious recognition, established in 2013, honours a poet under 23 years old with a $1,000 cash prize and publication on the Poets.org website. Born in Chennai, India, and raised partly in Lexington, Kentucky, Teja’s love for language was sparked b ..... Read More

India-Vietnam Strengthen Ties at Security Dialogue in Ha Noi

India and Vietnam held their third Security Dialogue on December 5, 2024, in Ha Noi, Vietnam. The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Deputy National Security Adviser, Pavan Kapoor, and Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Public Security, Lt. Gen. Pham The Tung. This dialogue served as a platform for exchanging perspectives on global and regional security matters and discussing ways to boost cooperation in several key areas. Both sides focused on strengthening joint efforts in countering terrorism, tackling organised crime, and improving information ..... Read More

India to Host Inaugural International Golf Series Event

The Asian Tour has officially announced that India will host its first-ever International Series golf event at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram, taking place from January 30 to February 2. This tournament marks a major milestone for Indian golf, drawing top-tier talent, including US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau. This prestigious $2 million event is set to feature a limited field of 108 players due to restricted daylight during that season. It will also be the highest field-rated tournament held in the country, with many LIV Golf s ..... Read More

MSMEs key to growth, land concessions offered: Piyush Goyal.

At the Assocham Bharat @100 Summit held in New Delhi, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal highlighted the pivotal role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India’s industrial growth. He expressed the government’s readiness to allocate dedicated spaces for MSMEs within the 20 upcoming townships across the country. To foster a supportive environment, Goyal stressed that land in industrial parks would be provided to MSMEs at reduced rates. He also noted ongoing governmental efforts to streamline processes, ease ..... Read More

Ratna Ghosh Honoured with McGill’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Indian-Canadian academic Ratna Ghosh has been awarded McGill University’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership in Learning. Conferred during the Fall 2024 Convocation on December 2, the award celebrates her transformative contributions to education over a career spanning more than four decades. Ghosh, who became Professor Emerita in 2023, has earned numerous accolades, including Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Distinguished James McGill Professor, and being named to the Order of Canada, Order of Quebec, and Order of Mo ..... Read More

Alia Bhatt’s Action Thriller ‘Jigra’ Streaming on Netflix

Alia Bhatt’s much-awaited action thriller Jigra is finally set to stream on Netflix starting December 6, 2024, following its theatrical release in October. Netflix India revealed the release date with a bold Instagram post, featuring a poster and the intriguing caption, “Phoolon aur taaron ne kaha hai, ulti ginti shuru karlo (stars emoticon),” hinting at the film’s suspenseful and thrilling tone. Directed by Vasan Bala, Jigra is Bhatt’s only solo film release in 2024. The film also features Manoj Pahwa, Vivek Gomber, and Vedang Ra ..... Read More

Jasleen Kaur Wins 2024 Turner Prize for ‘Alter Altar’ Exhibition

Jasleen Kaur, a Glasgow-born artist of Indian heritage, has been awarded the prestigious Turner Prize 2024 for her powerful exhibition Alter Altar. The prize, which includes GBP 25,000, was presented at a ceremony at Tate Britain, London, on December 3. The Turner Prize jury praised Kaur’s ability to blend personal, political, and spiritual narratives through her work, which reflects her upbringing in Scotland’s Sikh community. The exhibition incorporates everyday objects like family photos, an Axminster carpet, a vintage Ford Escort co ..... Read More

Musk and Ramaswamy’s DOGE mission: Shaping Capitol Hill

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, key figures in President-elect Donald Trump’s push to overhaul the federal government, visited Capitol Hill on Thursday for private discussions with lawmakers. The two entrepreneurs are set to lead Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a panel dedicated to cutting federal jobs, eliminating programs, and rolling back regulations under his “Save America” agenda for a second term. House Speaker Mike Johnson invited Musk and Ramaswamy to Capitol Hill to outline their strategy, ma ..... Read More

Foreign investors pour US$ 1.5 billion into Indian hospitals

India’s hospital sector saw a remarkable influx of US$ 1.5 billion (Rs. 12,708 crore) in foreign direct investment (FDI) during FY23, representing half of the total healthcare FDI. This is a considerable jump from 24% in FY21 and 43% in FY20, illustrating the increasing role of hospitals in attracting foreign capital. Historically, the pharmaceuticals sector had been the primary focus for investors, but the focus is now shifting toward hospitals and diagnostic services, especially after the impact of COVID-19. Major hospital chains such as Ma ..... Read More

Harroop Singh Bola Wins Prestigious Diana Award

London-based medical student Harroop Singh Bola, 23, was honored with the prestigious Diana Award on December 5 for his groundbreaking efforts to mentor and support Indian-origin medical students. As the co-founder of the British Indian Medical Association (BIMA), Bola has been celebrated for his impactful work in promoting equity and mentorship within the British Indian medical community. The Diana Award, established in memory of Princess Diana and supported by Prince William and Prince Harry, recognizes young individuals who create meaningful ..... Read More

Jaishankar talks India-Japan ties, tourism, and China challenges.

At the inaugural session of the India-Japan Forum, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar noted that while India and Japan share a problem-free history, positive sentiment alone is insufficient for fostering robust cooperation. He stressed the importance of translating goodwill into actionable plans for deeper engagement. EAM Jaishankar highlighted the rise in Indian tourists, mentioning, “Our passport issuances are increasing by 10 to 15% annually, with around 13 to 15 million passports issued every year, valid for a decade. Foreig ..... Read More

Putin Praises Modi’s ‘Make in India’ Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘India-first’ policy and the ‘Make in India’ initiative during the 15th VTB Russia Calling Investment Forum in Moscow, as per a release by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry on Thursday. He highlighted India’s consistent efforts in establishing a stable environment for economic growth, crediting these policies for driving significant progress. The ‘Make in India’ initiative, aimed at boosting manufacturing and drawin ..... Read More

Vikrant Massey Announces Break from Acting Amid Career Success

Vikrant Massey, who was recently honored with the Indian Film Personality of the Year award at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on November 28, announced that he would take a break from acting. In a heartfelt post on Instagram, the 37-year-old actor, known for his roles in films like 12th Fail, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba (2024), Sector 36 (2024), and The Sabarmati Report (2024), expressed that the time had come for him to “recalibrate” and focus on family and personal growth. His announcement surprised many of his fans, ..... Read More

Historic Bali Jatra Festival Celebrates Odisha’s Maritime Heritage in the UK

The historic Bali Jatra festival, marking Odisha’s ancient maritime heritage, was celebrated for the first time in the UK on November 30 at Townley Grammar School in Bexley. Organized by the Odisha Society of the United Kingdom (OSUK), the event attracted over 500 attendees, including prominent dignitaries and cultural icons from both the UK and India. The festival began with the Boita Bandana ceremony, where miniature illuminated boats were launched to honor Odisha’s historical maritime trade with Southeast Asia. The celebrations were ..... Read More