The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu presented the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar-2024 at an award ceremony held at Gantantra Mandap, Rashtrapati Bhavan.
In the first edition of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar, 33 awards were presented to distinguished scientists in four categories - Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team.
The Vigyan Ratna Award, given to the scientists who have made lifetime contributions in any field of Science and Technology, was presented to Prof. Govindarajan Padmanabhan, a pioneer of molecular biology and biotechnology research in India. The Vigyan Shri Awards, given to the scientists who have made distinguished contributions to Science and Technology,
were presented to 13 scientists for their path-breaking research in their respective domains. The Vigyan Yuva-SSB award, given to recognize scientists who have exceptionally contributed to any field of science and technology, was given to 18 scientists for their significant contribution in the areas spanning from the study on the warming of the Indian Ocean,
and its consequences, to the development of indigenous 5G base stations and communication and precision tests of quantum mechanics. The Vigyan Team Award, given to a team of 3 or more scientists for making ground-breaking research contributions in any field of science and technology, was given to the team of Chandrayaan-3 for the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 lander.
Vedanta-owned Hindustan Zinc Lted, India’s largest integrated zinc producer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR)to collaborate and develop new variants of zinc materials to propel the commercialisation of zinc-based batteries.
At present, lithium-ion batteries dominate the market but lithium availability, geographic concentration of mineral processing, and safety concerns around combustion issues pose some key challenges to the advancement of sustainable energy solutions.
The indigenous development of zinc-based batteries will also help the exchequer save due to the element’s abundance within the country, Hindustan Zinc said.
Some of the widely recognized zinc-based battery chemistries include zinc-manganese, zinc-carbon, nickel-zinc, and zinc-air.
The collaboration will focus on the research and development of zinc alloys as anodes for zinc ion and zinc air batteries, developing electrolytes for high-performance zinc alloy anodes, and designing and developing chemical processes for recycling zinc metal-based batteries.
Former director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH) Dr Girish Sahni passed away on Sunday. He was 68. Born on March 2, 1956, Sahni was an alumnus of Panjab University (PU) where he completed his graduation and post-graduation in microbiology (1973-78),
and went on to pursue his PhD at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
His post-PhD career included notable positions at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Rockefeller University, New York, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
IT industry body National Association of Software Services Companies (Nasscom) announced the appointment of Rajesh Nambiar as its president-designate.
Nambiar, who resigned as chairman and managing director of Cognizant India, succeeds Debjani Ghosh at Nasscom, who completes her tenure in November 2024.
Nambiar is an industry veteran having worked and led global teams at TCS, IBM, Ciena and Cognizant. He has been a member of the nasscom Executive Council before being elected as Chairperson in 2023. His leadership and strategic initiatives have been instrumental in positioning India’s tech sector as a global leader.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced a new feature called ‘UPI Circle’ on its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform. This feature allows primary UPI account holders to securely delegate payment responsibilities to trusted secondary users.
The Reserve Bank of India introduced this facility during its August MPC meeting.
"Delegated Payments” would allow an individual (primary user) to set a UPI transaction limit for another individual (secondary user) on the primary user’s bank account. This product is expected to add to the reach and usage of digital payments across the country. Detailed instructions will be issued shortly.” the central bank said in its MPC meeting.
UPI Circle-Delegate Payments is a feature where a UPI user acts as a primary link with their trusted secondary users on their UPI App for either partial or full delegation.
A primary user can delegate up to 5 secondary users and a secondary user can accept delegation from only one primary user.
Union Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar has launched three online platforms to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of the power sector in New Delhi. The portals are named Portal for Online Monitoring of Projects – Thermal (PROMPT), Disaster Resilient Infrastructure for Power Sector (DRIPS), and JAL VIDYUT DPR.
Speaking at the launch event, the Minister emphasised that the launch of these three online portals will enable transparent, coordinated, and effective working of the power sector in the country. He further highlighted the importance of power sector as the key element towards achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Mr Khattar remarked that electricity is the key driver for the ongoing economic activities in the country. He added that the power demand is also increasing therefore completion of ongoing schemes and a thermal project in time bound manner is extremely critical.
Zomato to acquire the movie and events ticketing businesses of Paytm for Rs 2,048 crore, the digital payments firm said in an exchange filing.
The company said that it will now focus on strengthening the core payments and financial services distribution. This deal, valued at Rs 2,048 crores on a cash-free, debt-free basis, stands as a testament to the value Paytm,
has created through its entertainment ticketing business, bringing choice and convenience to millions of Indians with its services and scale.
OCL will transfer its entertainment ticketing business to Zomato as follows:
Transfer of OCL’s entertainment ticketing business to its 100 percent subsidiaries, Orbgen Technologies Pvt Limited (OTPL) and Wasteland Entertainment Pvt,
and - Selling a 100 percent stake in its subsidiaries OTPL and WEPL, which operate the TicketNew and Insider platforms, respectively to Zomato. The transfer will also include approximately 280 existing employees from the entertainment ticketing business. The entertainment ticketing business, including movies, sports, and events, will remain available on the Paytm app
during a transition period of up to 12 months, the company stated, One 97 Communications Limited (OCL), which owns the Paytm brand.
Paytm built movie ticketing and acquired TicketNew and Insider for Rs 268 crores between 2017 and 2018.
O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is set to launch India's first Constitution Museum, marking the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of India. The museum, named "The Constitution Academy and The Rights & Freedoms Museum," will be inaugurated on November 26, 2024, at the JGU campus.
Anjchita B. Nair, CEO of Culture and Head of the Centre for Museums, has curated the museum.She noted that the museum aims to "demystify the Constitution and make it accessible to wider audiences."The museum will feature a Children's Corner with interactive installations and educational materials designed to introduce young visitors to the Constitution in an engaging manner
The Constitution Academy will feature sections dedicated to different parts of the Constitution and their significance. It will include profiles of Constituent Assembly members, debates, and deliberations that shaped the Constitution. The museum will use various formats, including textual, audio-visual, and experiential, to engage visitors.
The Atal Innovation Mission - in partnership with CSIRO, Australia - is inviting applications from start-ups and MSMEs from India and Australia for the Climate Smart Agritech cohort of the India Australia Rapid Innovation and Start-up Expansion (RISE) Accelerator – a program designed to support businesses aiming for international expansion between the two countries.
This marks a significant milestone in fostering innovations that address India and Australia’s most pressing shared challenges in the agriculture sector.
Commencing in October 2024, the Climate Smart Agritech cohort of the RISE Accelerator will focus on start-ups and MSMEs with technologies and solutions that enhance agricultural productivity and,
resilience in the face of growing climate variability, resource scarcity, and food insecurity.
The program is particularly interested in start-ups and MSMEs with solutions that prioritise farmer needs, priorities, and on-farm practices.
The RISE Accelerator program - launched in 2023 - has been instrumental in supporting start-ups and MSMEs in validating, adapting, and,
piloting their technologies for new markets. With the introduction of the Climate Smart Agritech cohort, the focus is now on agritech start-ups and MSMEs with solutions that enhance agricultural productivity and resilience in the face of growing environmental challenges.
The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology joined its BRICS counterparts on the launch of a Centre for Industrial Competences in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to support the development of Industrial skills and capabilities.
The declaration was made at the 8th BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting, bringing industry, trade and technology ministries together from the UAE, Russia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Iran, and South Africa. The meeting, chaired by Russia, takes place under the theme of "strengthening multilateralism for equitable global development and security".
The centre will promote partnerships within the framework of the New Industrial Revolution (NIR) to identify interests, challenges, and opportunities in the rapidly evolving industrial landscape. In addition, the centre aims to enable industry and the develop industrial skills of its members.
The declaration includes discussions to create several working groups, including the chemical industry, metals, SMEs, smart manufacturing, clean technology, and medical equipment.
The declaration recognises the role of the PartNIR (Partnership on New Industrial Revolution) Innovation Centre, which focuses on policy coordination, personnel training, and project development.
The World Bank announced that it has priced a $225 million bond, with financial returns to investors linked to the generation of carbon removal units (CRUs) from reforestation projects in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest.
The transaction marks the first bond to link financial returns to the removal of carbon from the atmosphere – compared with prior bonds tied to carbon credits,
from avoided emissions – as well as the World Bank’s largest-ever outcome bond.
Under the terms of the 9-year, 100% principal-protected bond, investors will receive a coupon consisting of a fixed guaranteed component, and a variable component tied to CRUs generated by reforestation projects by Brazil-based company Mombak.
Former Meghalaya chief minister Salseng C Marak died due to old age-related ailments.
Marak became the first chief minister of the state to complete a five-year term in 1993. He also held the office of the CM for the shortest time - 12 days - in 1998 when the Congress-led coalition collapsed. He also served as the state Congress chief in 2003.
World Sanskrit Day, also known as International Sanskrit Day, Sanskrit Diwas, and Vishwa Samskrita Dinam, is observed on the day of Shravana Poornima in the Hindu calendar, which coincides with the celebration of Raksha Bandhan. This year, Sanskrit Diwas will be celebrated on 19th August.
The primary objective of this day is to increase awareness and promote Sanskrit, one of India’s most ancient languages. Sanskrit holds immense significance as it forms the bedrock for classical texts in various fields such as Literature, Philosophy, Mathematics, and Science.
The world is celebrating World Senior Citizens Day 2024, observed every year on August 21. This day aims to raise awareness of the issues being faced by older adults like health deterioration and elder abuse. It is also celebrated to acknowledge their contributions to society.
The Lok Sabha speaker named the constituents of the six new Parliamentary Committees including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which examines government expenditure.
Ganesh Singh, BJP MP from Satna, Madhya Pradesh has been appointed as the chairperson of the Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes.
The Committee was first established in 2012 and its functions include, considering reports from the National Commission for Backward Classes and reviewing welfare measures for OBCs.
Besides the PAC, the chairperson for the Committee on Public Undertakings, Committee on Estimates, Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,
the Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes, Committee on Public Accounts, and Committee on Estimates were also named.
BJP Lok Sabha MP from Mandla constituency Dr Faggan Singh Kulaste has been appointed as the chairperson of the committee on the Welfare of scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Similarly, a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Odisha's Kendrapara, Baijyant Panda has been appointed as the chairperson of the committee on Public undertakings.
Senior Congress MP KC Venugopal has been appointed chairperson of the committee on Public accounts.
BJP MP Dr Sanjay Jaiswal has been appointed as the Chair of the committee on Estimates.
The General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/73/296, designated 22 August as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief recognizing the importance of providing victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief and members of their families with appropriate support and assistance under applicable law.
By proclaiming an International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, the General Assembly recalled that States have the primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights, including the human rights of persons belonging to religious minorities, including their right to exercise their religion or belief freely.
