Author: News Desk

Indian Railways uses a colour-coding system to help passengers easily identify coach types, comfort levels and speed categories. Each colour — blue, red, green and brown — carries a specific meaning tied to the train’s design and service profile. What the Colours Mean Blue Coaches These are the most widely used coaches on mail, express and superfast trains. Typically built at Integral Coach Factory (ICF), they operate at moderate speeds and offer standard sleeper or seating facilities. They are the backbone of India’s daily long-distance travel network. Red Coaches Red indicates premium, high-speed LHB coaches, used in Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto and other upgraded trains. These lightweight coaches provide better…

Late November 2025 marked a watershed moment for India’s private space sector as Narendra Modi unveiled Vikram-I, the country’s first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle, from Hyderabad-based startup Skyroot Aerospace. Vikram-I stands 20 metres tall and 1.7 metres wide, built using lightweight all-carbon composite materials, enabling high efficiency and structural strength. The four-stage rocket combines robust solid-fuel propulsion in its first three stages with a hypergolic liquid-fuelled upper stage, ensuring both powerful lift-off and precise orbital insertion. Its design includes state-of-the-art innovations, 3D-printed engine components that reduce weight by roughly 50% and accelerate manufacturing, ultra-low-shock pneumatic separation systems, and advanced avionics for…

Elon Musk praised the contributions of talented Indians to the United States during his appearance on Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath’s “People by WTF” podcast. He noted that some of America’s stricter immigration policies stem from the misuse of the H-1B visa program and the previous administration’s overly permissive approach. Musk observed that, despite concerns among some Americans about foreign workers “taking jobs,” there is a persistent shortage of skilled talent. At his companies—Tesla, SpaceX, X, and XAI—the goal is to attract the most talented people globally. Regarding H-1B visas, Musk acknowledged misuse by some outsourcing firms but emphasized that the…

Oil India Limited has launched a major offshore drilling campaign in the Kerala-Konkan Basin, beginning with the spudding of its first well, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri announced on Saturday. Minister Puri described the initiative as a landmark step in India’s energy journey, reflecting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Kerala-Konkan Basin, classified as a Category-III frontier, holds significant potential. The planned well will reach a depth of 6,000 meters, located about 20 nautical miles offshore, making it one of the deepest offshore wells in Indian waters, Puri noted on X. Over 1,028 sq.…

Kochi Metro Rail Limited has named Johnson Lifts Private Limited as the lowest bidder for supplying elevators for Phase 2 of the Kochi Metro. KMRL had floated the tender with a completion window of 730 days. Technical bids were opened on September 29, 2025, confirming that two companies were in the race. Their technical evaluation wrapped up on November 27, and on the same day the financial bids were opened. Johnson Lifts emerged with the lowest quote and later received the Letter of Acceptance from Maha-Metro. Financial bids• Johnson Lifts Private Limited – ₹17.4 crore• Otis Elevator Company (India) Limited…

As part of his visit to engage with the expatriate community, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan arrived in Dubai for a two-day trip. He was received by UAE Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed Al Gargawi. During the visit, the Chief Minister held meetings with senior UAE ministers aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between Kerala and the UAE and exploring new areas of partnership. The discussions included Cabinet Affairs Minister Mohammed Al Gargawi, Minister of Economic Tourism Abdullah Bin Thawq Al Marri, Minister of Foreign Trade Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office Badr Al Olama,…

Cochin Port, Kerala’s second major port after Vizhinjam, is gearing up for a development push valued at roughly Rs 10,000 crore, as reported by Malayala Manorama. The upgrades will span the whole stretch from Cochin Port to Cochin Shipyard. Around Rs 1,500 crore has been set aside for DP World’s Vallarpadam Transhipment Terminal to boost container handling. Even though Vizhinjam already has a naturally deep draft suited for big motherships, about Rs 800 crore is still expected to go into deepening Kochi’s channel so large vessels can berth at Vallarpadam. For this, the Cochin Port Authority has signed an agreement…

Taragiri, the third stealth frigate built under the Navy’s Project 17A, has officially joined the fleet. The ship, designed and produced in India and packed with advanced combat systems, was handed over on November 28 at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. This vessel is the fourth in the Nilgiri-class lineup and the third constructed by MDL. According to the Navy, Taragiri represents a major step forward in homegrown naval design, stealth features, automation, and overall combat strength. Project 17A ships are built for multi-mission roles and are intended to handle a wide range of present and future challenges at sea. Taragiri…

M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar and P.U. Chinnappa were the first superstar duo in Tamil cinema, preceding icons like MGR, Sivaji, Rajini, Kamal, Vijay, and Ajith. M.K.T. is celebrated as Tamil cinema’s first superstar, while P.U. Chinnappa earned the title of the first “super actor.” Born in Pudukkottai to Lokanath Pillai and Meenakshi Ammal, Chinnappa began performing in theatre at age five and joined the Madurai Original Boys Company at twelve, where his singing talent quickly raised his pay from Rs. 15 to Rs. 75. He rose to fame as a theatre hero, mastering wrestling and Chilambat, and set a strength record lifting 190 pounds. Chinnappa transitioned to films with the adaptation of ‘Chandrakanta,’ becoming the first versatile Tamil hero capable of acting, singing, and performing fight scenes. His films, including ‘Uttamaputran,’ ‘Kannaki,’ and ‘Jagathala…

Surekha Yadav, a native of Satara, Maharashtra, embarked on a path few envisioned for women in 1980s India. In 1988, she became Asia’s first female locomotive pilot, breaking into a male-dominated domain and redefining what is possible in Indian Railways. Her journey began humbly: selected as an assistant driver in 1989, Yadav steadily climbed the ranks, from goods-train operator in 1996, to motor-woman in 2000, and then a full-fledged driver of mail and express trains. In 2010, she became a ghat driver, a role demanding extreme skill and caution, navigating the treacherous Western Ghat gradients with precision. Among her many milestones:…