Thursday, October 30

National

IIT Madras tops NIRF rankings for 7th year in a row
Education, National

IIT Madras tops NIRF rankings for 7th year in a row

For the seventh consecutive year, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has maintained its status as the nation's top university, taking first place in the Ministry of Education's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). The rankings were revealed on Thursday by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru became the nation's top university, surpassing IIT Madras in the overall category. Among universities, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) came in second, followed by Manipal Academy of Higher Education in third place and Jamia Millia Islamia in fourth. In the colleges category, Delhi University's Hindu College got first place, pushing Miranda House to second. The third, fourth, and fifth spots were occupied by Hans Raj Col...
India sees surge in horticulture production, reaching 367.72 million tonnes
National

India sees surge in horticulture production, reaching 367.72 million tonnes

Over the past ten years, India's horticulture industry has grown impressively thanks to the government's strategy of diversifying into high-value agriculture in an effort to quadruple the nation's farmer income. Horticulture production climbed from 280.70 million tonnes in 2013–14 to 367.72 million tonnes as of August 2025 for 2024–25 (second advanced projections). This includes 219.67 million tonnes of vegetables, 114.51 million tonnes of fruit, and 33.54 million tonnes of other horticultural commodities. Fruit production rose by over 30% from 866 lakh metric tonnes in 2014–15 to 1,129.7 lakh metric tonnes in 2023–24. The production of vegetables also increased by 22% during the same time, from 1,694.7 lakh metric tonnes to 2,072 lakh metric tonnes. Additionally, productivity levels i...
Uttarakhand cloudburst: Havoc in Tharali, houses damaged, people missing
National, Weather

Uttarakhand cloudburst: Havoc in Tharali, houses damaged, people missing

A destructive cloudburst hit the Chamoli region of Uttarakhand, causing extensive damage throughout Tharali tehsil and leaving several persons presumed missing. Panic and widespread evacuations resulted from the debris that surged into residences, marketplaces, and government buildings. Officials said the tehsil complex and Tharali market area were among the worst hit, with many residential buildings, including the official residence of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), stores, and cars buried beneath debris and mud. Fears of casualties increased when it was claimed that a girl was trapped beneath debris in Sagwara hamlet. Despite difficult weather, rescue crews from the NDRF and SDRF arrived at the scene at night and are still working. Flooding and a strong debris flow have obstruc...
On Independence Day, seven military officers will get honors for Operation Sindoor
National

On Independence Day, seven military officers will get honors for Operation Sindoor

On India's Independence Day, four Indian Air Force (IAF) officers will get the coveted Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal in a unique and historic ceremony, according to sources. The importance of Operation Sindoor is highlighted by the fact that the IAF has been awarded this wartime honor for the first time since the Kargil War. Two army officers and one navy officer will also be honored, making seven high-ranking military individuals who have been recognized for their outstanding service. India's highest wartime distinguished service honor, the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal, was established in 1980 and is given for "the most exceptional order" of operational service, fusing prestige with a wartime setting. It serves as the wartime counterpart of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. India's strong milit...
Tropical bird populations plummet as heat extremes surge since 1950, study finds
National

Tropical bird populations plummet as heat extremes surge since 1950, study finds

According to a study, heat extremes brought on by climate change have wiped off 25–38% of tropical bird populations since 1950. According to a study posted on the University of Queensland website, exposure to high heat is the most climatic threat to birds, particularly in tropical regions, even though variations in rainfall and average temperature have some effect. Using a dataset of 90,000 observations from each continent, researchers from Australia and Europe examined over 3,000 bird populations between 1950 and 2020. The article states that they used weather data to distinguish between the effects of climate change and human pressures such as habitat loss. Researchers have discovered that the frequency of extremely hot days for birds in tropical places has increased by almost ten ti...
In honor of Indian Independence Day, NYC’s longest-running dance festival
National

In honor of Indian Independence Day, NYC’s longest-running dance festival

Indian Independence Day will be celebrated with a stunning display of cultural performances honoring 'Shakti,' the divine feminine spirit, at the 44th Annual Battery Dance Festival, New York City's longest-running free public dance festival. The event will feature a specially organized India Day on August 15th with the theme Shakti—Divine Energy, which will feature internationally recognized dance groups and artists. This year's event, which takes place from August 12 to 16, continues to be a major cultural highlight of NYC's summer calendar, drawing over 22,000 attendees each year. Battery Dance's creator and artistic director, Jonathan Hollander, clarified that this year's theme changes: "The previous two years, we concentrated on Purush, the male essence. We are now focusing on Shak...
In 301 cities, NEET-PG 2025 exam was conducted and over 2.42 lakh students participated
Education, National

In 301 cities, NEET-PG 2025 exam was conducted and over 2.42 lakh students participated

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Postgraduate) (NEET-PG) was administered by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), an independent organization under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. More than 2,42,000 candidates took the exam in a single shift using a computer-based platform at 1,052 test centers spread throughout 301 cities, according to an official statement. In terms of the total number of applicants, this is the biggest computer-based test in India that has been held in a single shift. In order to evaluate the exam's administration and guarantee that the use of unfair methods is not tolerated, NBEMS recruited over 2200 faculty members from different medical schools and NBEMS-accredited institutions. The Chief Secretaries and DGPs of ea...
127 years later, Buddha’s sacred relics are back in India
National

127 years later, Buddha’s sacred relics are back in India

After 127 years, the treasured Piprahwa relics, which are thought to contain the genuine remains of Lord Buddha, have returned to India in a moment of profound historical and spiritual significance. The Buddha's own Shakya clan is thought to have formerly cared for the relics, which were discovered in 1898 in a stupa in Piprahwa, a village close to Siddharthnagar in Uttar Pradesh. Its homecoming comes after the Indian government intervened to stop its scheduled auction at Sotheby's in Hong Kong due to international pressure. The return of the relics was celebrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a moment of pride for India's spiritual and cultural legacy. In addition to being an archeological site, Piprahwa is thought to be the last resting place of some of the Buddha's cremated rem...
A 32-year-old Keralan man had a positive Nipah test
National

A 32-year-old Keralan man had a positive Nipah test

A 32-year-old male is undergoing treatment at the hospital of Palakkad Medical College after testing positive for Nipah. His father was Nipah positive and passed away recently, which is noteworthy. The test results were released. The test was administered at a facility in the district of Malappuram. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) typically tests all samples first, and the authorities are currently awaiting the results. This is the third Palakkad case that has been filed. At the hospital of Kozhikode Medical College, a woman from that area is receiving treatment. As of right now, 374 residents of the district are continuously monitored by medical professionals. Four wards in the Mannarakad area and three village councils in the districts have now been designated as high-risk a...
Defence Secretary says India must boost its production capacity for military-grade drones
National

Defence Secretary says India must boost its production capacity for military-grade drones

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has stated that India has to increase its production capacity for military-grade drones, highlighting the importance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in contemporary combat. He stated that the government will develop a new Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP 2025) in six months and that the Center intends to reduce the defense procurement cycle to no more than two years. He claimed that since many of the technologies may not be available domestically, some technology transfer is necessary for the nation to produce military-grade drones. In terms of military-grade drones, I would say that we are looking at at least three or four firms who are developing this kind of capability. In order to get them to start spending even more in this field—including...