Author: News Desk

IIT Madras has introduced YD One, a new active wheelchair that weighs just nine kilograms, making it the lightest of its kind developed in India. It offers full customisation based on body size, posture, and mobility needs, providing improved comfort and freedom for daily use. Affordable Compared to Imports Priced at ₹74,700, YD One offers a cost-effective solution when compared to imported wheelchairs with similar features, which cost over ₹2.5 lakhs. The design focuses on strength, energy efficiency, and ease of lifting and storing in vehicles and public transport. Built with Advanced Materials To reduce the weight, a team of researchers from IIT Madras used a carbon…

The Indian Navy will commission its first fully indigenous Diving Support Vessel (DSV), Nistar, on July 18 at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. The vessel has been designed and built by the state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited, marking a significant milestone in India’s self-reliance in naval capabilities. Role and Strategic Importance Nistar is equipped for deep-sea diving and will act as the Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV). This enables it to carry out emergency rescue and evacuation of submarine crew members in distress situations. The ship joins the Eastern Naval Command and will enhance India’s underwater rescue and salvage…

The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has highlighted major opportunities for collaboration between Indian and Japanese textile firms, noting that companies from Japan are eager to invest in India’s apparel sector. This follows a series of business meetings during the India Tex Trend Fair (ITTF) held in Tokyo. Key Meetings with Japanese Apparel Giants AEPC Chairman Sudhir Sekhri shared that the Indian delegation held discussions with top Japanese brands including Uniqlo, Adastria, Toray, Itokin, Broque Japan, Daiso, YKK, and Pegasus. The council encouraged these companies to increase sourcing from India and consider direct investments. Commitment to Japanese Quality Standards Sekhri…

Dial4242, a tech-enabled ambulance service startup, has secured ₹9 crore in a pre-Series A funding round. The investment was led by IAN Group, with participation from BioAngels, IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL, and other prominent angel investors. Mission to Cut Response Time Across India The company plans to use the funds to reduce its average turnaround time (TAT) from 12 minutes to under 8 minutes. The capital will also support technology upgrades, marketing, expansion into underserved regions, and key leadership hires to scale operations. Founded to Turn Personal Loss Into Impact Dial4242 was founded in 2016 by Jeetendra Lalwani, with Nilesh Mahambre and Atin Verma as co-founders. Lalwani shared that the loss of his father inspired the startup’s mission to ensure no life is lost…

Annamalai Chettiar, born in 1881 into the influential Nattukottai Nagarathar community, was far ahead of his time. Decades before India’s liberalisation and the rise of modern global businesses, Chettiar understood international finance, diaspora networks, and institutional growth. He co-founded Indian Bank with his brother and later served as the governor of the Imperial Bank—now known as State Bank of India. Cracking Cross-Border Banking Chettiar’s real genius lay in how he scaled the Chettiar community’s traditional money-lending practices into a sophisticated transnational banking system. By creating trust-based financial networks across Southeast Asia, he enabled faster money transfers long before digital systems…

Apple has named Sabih Khan as its next Chief Operating Officer, a quiet but significant leadership shift. He will officially step into the role in late July 2025, taking over from Jeff Williams, who has mentored Khan for nearly three decades. From Moradabad to Apple’s Core Sabih Khan was born in 1966 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, and moved with his family to Singapore during his school years before eventually settling in the United States. He holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, followed by a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Before joining Apple, he…

Uber has introduced a new ride service in Saudi Arabia that allows women riders to be matched exclusively with female drivers. The new option, called Women Drivers, works similarly to UberX and is designed to increase both comfort and employment opportunities for women in the Kingdom. Riders can request immediate trips or schedule rides up to 30 minutes in advance through Uber Reserve. The service will be gradually rolled out nationwide in the coming weeks. Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 Goals This launch comes seven years after Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women drivers and supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy, which…

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announces free AI training for village entrepreneursThis initiative is a part of government’s aim to train 10 lakh citizens in advanced digital technologies such as AI, Machine learning and data analyticsThis initiative is a part of India AI mission In an event marking the 16th establishment day of CSCs(Common Service Centers), Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw announces free AI training for VLEs (Village Level Entrepreneurs). He announced this initiative as a part of the India AI Mission. He announced free training for ten lakh individuals, where 5.5 lakh from them will be VLEs. The…

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a decree regarding marriage leave for government employees. The decree stated that as of Decree No. (31) of 2025, an employee is entitled to a fully paid marriage leave of 10 working days. It also states that the employee can combine marriage leave with any other leave they are entitled to under the legislation regulating HR affairs in force at their employer. The decree also specifies the conditions for granting marriage leave, which are that the employee’s husband or wife must be a citizen…

Google has announced a free one-year subscription to its Gemini AI Pro plan for students in India aged 18 and above. The offer, revealed on 15 July, aims to support learning, research, and creativity through advanced AI tools. Access to Gemini 2.5 Pro and Other Tools The offer gives students access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s most advanced AI model to date. It includes powerful features such as Deep Research, NotebookLM with five times more usage capacity, and Veo 3, a video generation tool. Users will also benefit from Gemini Flow and other AI-based features. Extra Storage and Productivity Benefits…