Author: News Desk

Simone Tata, one of the most influential figures in India’s consumer and retail landscape, passed away in Mumbai at 95. She had been recovering from an illness and was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital earlier this year after initial treatment in Dubai. She is survived by her son Noel, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya, and Leah. Her life carried a steady sense of purpose, a calm resilience, and an instinct for recognising possibilities long before the market did. That mix shaped two major chapters in Indian business: homegrown beauty and modern fashion retail. Early years and an unexpected…

Pawan Kumar Chandana’s story is more than a personal success, it’s a paradigm shift in India’s space‑tech landscape. Born and raised in Visakhapatnam, Chandana’s early struggles with mathematics (he once scored 51 marks) did not deter him. Instead, they triggered a transformation, rooted in relentless self‑improvement and scientific curiosity. He went on to study Mechanical Engineering (dual BTech–MTech) at IIT Kharagpur. Despite modest academic beginnings, he secured a role at ISRO in 2012. There, he worked on heavy‑lift launch vehicles including GSLV‑Mk3, gaining critical experience in rocketry and spacecraft systems. But Chandana’s ambitions went beyond being an engineer, he envisaged…

VinFast is gearing up for a major scale-up in India, confirming plans to expand its Tamil Nadu manufacturing facility to include production lines for electric buses and electric two-wheelers. This development marks a strategic deepening of the Vietnamese EV maker’s footprint in India, following its earlier commitment to invest in the state. The expanded facility will enable VinFast to cater to India’s fast-growing electric mobility market by offering a wider range of sustainable transportation solutions. By introducing electric buses, the company aims to support India’s clean public transport initiatives, while the addition of electric scooters and motorcycles targets the country’s…

India’s semiconductor ambitions received a major boost as Tata Electronics, Cyient, and Applied Materials secured a ₹4,500-crore mandate to modernise the country’s only operational chip fabrication unit. The consortium will revamp the Semiconductor Complex Ltd (SCL) facility in Mohali, transforming it into a more advanced, globally competitive fab capable of supporting India’s growing demand for strategic and commercial chip manufacturing. The project includes upgrading legacy production lines, deploying state-of-the-art semiconductor tools, and enhancing cleanroom and process capabilities. This marks a critical step in India’s push to localise semiconductor manufacturing under the India Semiconductor Mission. Tata will lead systems integration and…

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has once again underlined the importance of transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable fuel alternatives. Demonstrating his commitment, the minister travelled in a hydrogen-powered car, showcasing its potential as a game-changing solution for India’s mobility future. Gadkari emphasized that India must reduce its dependence on petrol and diesel, both to curb rising pollution levels and to cut down on costly fuel imports. He reiterated that hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen, can play a transformative role in reshaping the country’s transport landscape, offering a zero-emission, high-efficiency alternative. He also noted that embracing hydrogen…

Massive flight disruptions hit air travel across India as IndiGo cancelled over 550 flights in a single day, marking the largest operational shutdown in the airline’s 20-year history. The cascading cancellations have triggered widespread chaos and protests at airports including Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, with passengers expressing concern over delays, lack of updates, and long wait times. IndiGo attributed the cancellations to a combination of factors including cabin crew shortages, technical issues, and other operational challenges. The airline has warned that cancellations may continue over the next several days. Delhi saw the highest impact with around 150 flights cancelled, followed by Mumbai (118), Bengaluru (100), Hyderabad…

The Indian government has confirmed that several major airports, including Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai), Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru), Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (Kolkata), Hyderabad and others, were targeted by cyber-attacks involving GPS spoofing and GNSS interference. According to the civil aviation ministry, several flights approaching using GPS-based landing procedures reported misleading navigation data, especially near runway approaches at Delhi, prompting air-traffic controllers and pilots to switch to conventional ground-based navigation aids. Despite the severity of the threat, authorities say no flights were cancelled or diverted and safety was maintained, thanks to redundant legacy…

Hyderabad House, one of New Delhi’s most iconic heritage mansions, was originally built for Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam of Hyderabad, once the richest man in the world. Designed by legendary architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in the 1920s, the sprawling palace cost £200,000 at the time, equivalent to nearly ₹170 crore today. Spread across 8.2 acres near India Gate, the structure is known for its distinctive butterfly-shaped layout, grand central dome, long corridors, marble flooring, intricate wooden ceilings, and sweeping courtyards that reflect a blend of Indo-European architectural grandeur. After Independence, the government took ownership of the estate,…

Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi on December 4–5, 2025 for his first visit since the Ukraine war began, marking the 23rd annual India–Russia summit. At the heart of the visit was a strengthening of the “special and privileged strategic partnership” between the two countries. Defence cooperation topped the agenda, with India and Russia agreeing to enhance collaboration on niche military technologies, joint production efforts, and long-term logistics support under recently ratified pacts. Despite pressure from the U.S. and EU over Western sanctions on Russia, India reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strategic autonomy. The two nations discussed supplying…

Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) has officially launched full-scale ground handling operations at Cochin International Airport (CIAL), marking its eighth airport nationwide and second in Kerala. The deployment begins with a team of 150 trained professionals and will scale up as passenger and cargo traffic grows. Initially, AISATS will support airlines such as Batik Air and Thai Lion Air, with services available to all domestic and international carriers operating through Kochi. The expansion brings in next-generation ground-handling technology, globally benchmarked safety and operational protocols, automated baggage tracking, and workforce-management systems. Airport officials say this move will strengthen Kerala’s connectivity,…