National

According to the government, nine Clean Plant Centers would be built nationwide as part of the recently sanctioned Rs 1,765.67 million Clean Plant Programme (CPP). According to an official statement, the program's goal is to increase India's horticultural industry by supplying planting material free of viruses. The Asian Development Bank loan of $98 million funds the project, which focuses on important fruit products such pomegranates, oranges, and grapes. At a cost of Rs 300 crore, three of the nine clean plant centers would be established in Maharashtra: one for pomegranates in Solapur, one for oranges in Nagpur, and one for grapes in Pune. The program will provide medium-sized nurseries with up to Rs 1.5 crore in support and large nurseries with up to Rs 3 crore apiece, resulting in...

The Indian Embassy in China had cautioned its residents to 'exercise necessary caution' amid the unrest in Nepal. India commended Chinese authorities for their timely help, ensuring a smooth passage for pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar. Indian pilgrims participating in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra can now securely and easily return to India via Nepal thanks to the opening of the border crossings, according to the Indian Embassy in Beijing. "We have learned that the border crossings are now operational and that Indian pilgrims participating in the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra can return to India via Nepal in a safe and easy manner," the embassy wrote in a post on X. We express our gratitude to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the local authorities in the Tibet Autonomous Region for the...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...