Author: News Desk

Raja Nayak’s journey is a powerful story of resilience and ambition, proving that determination can overcome the toughest beginnings. Born into poverty and forced to drop out of school at an early age, Nayak started his working life as a street vendor, earning just enough to survive. A defining moment came when a Bollywood film inspired him to dream beyond his circumstances. Motivated by its message of self-belief and enterprise, Raja Nayak began learning the basics of business through observation, experimentation and sheer persistence. With no access to formal education or capital, he relied on practical experience and relentless effort. Starting with small operations,…

India is rapidly progressing its ambitious Samudrayaan deep-sea exploration mission, with preparations underway for the first dive of the indigenously developed Matsya-6000 submersible in May 2026. The trial, planned at a depth of 500 metres, marks a major milestone toward the project’s ultimate aim of conducting deeper manned dives and joining an elite group of nations with advanced crewed submersible capabilities. Developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM), the Matsya-6000 is a 25-tonne, human-rated underwater vehicle designed to carry a crew for scientific exploration beneath the sea. Engineers are fine-tuning systems such as pressure hull integrity, life-support modules and navigation…

Karan Adani, Managing Director of APSEZ, addressed the foundation-laying ceremony of Vizhinjam Port Phase 2, marking a significant milestone for Kerala’s maritime and economic future. The event was attended by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Opposition Leader Shri V D Satheesan, Members of Parliament, senior officials, and distinguished dignitaries. Speaking at the ceremony, Karan said Vizhinjam stands at the intersection of history and the future. For centuries, Kerala’s coastline has connected India to global trade, and through Vizhinjam, this historic role is being renewed with world-class infrastructure…

Retired NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who spent over 608 days in orbit during her distinguished 27-year career, recently opened up about two of the most unusual sights she encountered while in space. Speaking on a podcast with host Raj Shamani, Williams said one of the most striking impressions from her time aboard the International Space Station (ISS) was the sheer number of communication satellites now circling Earth. While the satellites support modern connectivity, their abundance made a lasting visual impact on her. “The amount of stuff in orbit around the planet — a lot of communication satellites — really stood out,” she said, noting that constellations of satellites have grown…

AI should not be feared; instead of focusing solely on what AI can do, the focus must be on who it serves, said speaker A.N. Shamsheer at the Kerala Regional AI Impact Conference, held at The Leela Raviz, Kovalam. The event aimed to evaluate AI’s practical applications across sectors as well as its social and economic impact. He emphasized that AI should be used continuously and critically, but without fear. Its value emerges only when it improves human life. Shamsheer highlighted the importance of ethical AI and spreading awareness about the technology among the public. He also stressed that potential…

Payments infrastructure company Juspay announced on January 23 that it has raised $50 million in a Series D follow-on round from WestBridge Capital, valuing the startup at $1.2 billion. The funding aims to accelerate Juspay’s international expansion and strengthen its position as a core payments infrastructure provider for enterprises and banks. Use of FundsThe funding round included both primary and secondary transactions. Primary capital will support Juspay’s expansion into international markets and deepen investments in its technology stack, while the secondary component provides liquidity for early investors and employees holding ESOPs. This marks the company’s second liquidity event within a…

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to visit India in mid-February, marking his first trip to the country in nearly a year, sources told TechCrunch. His visit coincides with the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, which will bring together global AI leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, alongside top Indian executives such as Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. Altman is not currently listed as a confirmed attendee. According to sources, OpenAI is planning closed-door meetings on the sidelines of the summit in New…

PepsiCo India announced on Friday that Savitha Balachandran has been appointed as chief financial officer for India and South Asia. She will succeed Kaushik Mitra, who is set to retire on April 15 after 24 years with the company. The company stated that Balachandran will assume the role following a structured transition period. In her new position, she will oversee the finance function across India and South Asia, guiding financial strategy, governance, and performance management. “Savitha will work closely with the leadership team to support PepsiCo’s long-term growth agenda in India, one of the company’s key anchor markets,” the company…

Hitachi India is set to expand its local workforce by more than 5,000 over the next five years, betting on rapid infrastructure growth and digital transformation across the country. The company’s investments will span energy, artificial intelligence, and resource management, integrated with Hitachi’s global centres of excellence, said Bharat Kaushal, executive chairman of Hitachi India, during the World Economic Forum in Davos. Currently, Hitachi India employs 42,000 people across multiple business lines. The recruitment drive is part of a broader strategy to capitalise on surging investment in India’s energy and rail sectors and the increasing adoption of advanced technologies such…

India and the European Union are set to sign a long-pending free trade agreement on January 27, ending years of complex negotiations defined by firm red lines on both sides. The talks, relaunched in 2022 after nearly a decade of stagnation, have progressed amid shifting global trade patterns, efforts to diversify supply chains, and a shared desire to strengthen strategic economic ties. “Even as momentum has increased in recent rounds, negotiators have been careful to balance commitments to market opening with domestic priorities. The talks have been as much about managing sensitivities as expanding trade,” said a commerce ministry official.…