Author: News Desk

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated the Shyok Tunnel on the Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DS-DBO) road in eastern Ladakh, part of 125 infrastructure projects by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Singh described the 920-metre cut-and-cover tunnel as an “engineering marvel,” highlighting its role in providing all-weather connectivity to this strategically vital region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Shyok Tunnel, on the 255 km DS-DBO road—the only operational route linking Durbuk to the Depsang Plains and DBO—will enhance troop mobility, rapid deployment, and security, especially during harsh winters when heavy snowfall and avalanches often disrupt travel. The tunnel also benefits local border…

India’s cement sector has entered 2025 with improving demand and utilisation remaining around 60 percent. Most companies are growing steadily, but UltraTech and Adani are pulling ahead with faster expansion, better cost management, and sharper execution. India is the world’s second-largest cement producer, accounting for over 8 percent of global installed capacity, with nearly 98 percent of production controlled by the private sector. The top 20 players contribute roughly 70 percent of output, supported by extensive limestone reserves. In FY25, cement production rose 6.3 percent year-on-year to 453 million tonnes. Early FY26 data show an 8.9 percent rise, with July…

Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani are among India’s most influential industrialists, yet their educational backgrounds reflect sharply different paths to success. Mukesh Ambani pursued formal higher education at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, a premier institute known for producing industry leaders. Ambani later enrolled for an MBA at Stanford University but returned to India before completing the programme to help his father, Dhirubhai Ambani, build Reliance Industries. His academic training played a key role in shaping Reliance’s technology-driven expansion across petrochemicals, telecom, retail, and digital services. Gautam Adani’s journey, by contrast, is rooted in…

Meesho’s strong stock market debut has not only benefited investors but also turned co-founder Vidit Aatrey into a billionaire. On Tuesday, Meesho’s shares surged over 13% to reach an intraday high of ₹193.50, up from the previous close of ₹170.75. The stock has now gained nearly 75% since its issue price of ₹111, marking a remarkable rise since its IPO, which listed at a 46% premium. The rise in share price has pushed Aatrey’s net worth past $1 billion. Holding approximately 47.25 crore shares, or an 11.1% stake in Meesho, his holdings are valued at around ₹9,128 crore at the…

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting Jordan and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Israel, India reiterated its commitment to peace and stability in West Asia. In Amman, Modi met King Abdullah II, highlighting opportunities for India-Jordan collaboration in reconstructing war-damaged infrastructure in Syria. Modi noted that Indian and Jordanian companies could jointly address Syria’s urgent rebuilding needs, particularly in railways and next-generation infrastructure. During his visit, Modi emphasized the shared determination of India and Jordan to combat terrorism, extremism, and radicalization, and reaffirmed India’s support for ongoing regional peace efforts. India has previously engaged with Syria’s post-Assad administration, sending…

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green became one of the most expensive purchases in IPL history when Kolkata Knight Riders acquired him for ₹25.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. This makes him the third-highest paid player ever at an IPL auction and the priciest overseas player, surpassing records previously held by fellow Australians Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. Green’s rising value in the league is evident. He made his IPL debut in 2023 with Mumbai Indians, scoring 452 runs—including an unbeaten 100 off 47 balls—and taking six wickets. In 2024, he was traded to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he had a…

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has its largest investments in the Tata Group at ₹88,404 crore, followed by ₹80,843 crore in HDFC Bank and ₹60,065.56 crore in the Reliance Group, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. The Adani Group received ₹47,633.78 crore, while SBI attracted ₹46,621.76 crore from LIC, according to Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. LIC has invested over ₹5,000 crore each in 35 domestic companies and groups, totaling ₹7.87 lakh crore. Among them, L&T, Unilever, IDBI Bank, M&M, and Aditya Birla together account for ₹3.23 lakh crore of…

Ports Minister V N Vasavan said the next phase of construction at Vizhinjam International Seaport will begin in January, noting that the first phase of commercial operations has performed well beyond expectations. Speaking at a press conference in Vizhinjam after a review meeting, the minister said the port handled nearly four lakh containers more than its original target during its first year of operations. Commercial operations began on December 3, 2024, after engineers issued the completion certificate. While the initial target was to handle 10 lakh containers in the first year, the port has so far received 636 vessels and…

IIT Bombay’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) has launched India’s first incubator-linked deep tech venture capital fund. Named the Y-Point Venture Capital Fund, it has a total corpus of ₹250 crore and aims to provide early-stage risk capital to India’s deep tech startups. The fund will invest in pre-seed and seed-stage companies emerging from IIT Bombay as well as other leading research institutions. The fund plans to support around 25 to 30 startups, with individual investments of up to ₹15 crore. It will focus on high-impact sectors including artificial intelligence, advanced computing, manufacturing, materials, space and defence technology, nuclear…

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) has signed an agreement with Dalmia Cement Limited to transport an additional 200 to 250 tonnes of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) daily to the company’s cement plant in Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, a move expected to ease pressure on landfills. BSWML reported that waste segregation at source has improved across the city, leading to increased collection of low-value plastic waste, also known as RDF. The improvement is credited to the agency’s extensive Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) programmes, which have raised public awareness and participation in waste segregation. Currently, Bengaluru generates and collects around 350…