British writer Samantha Harvey won the prestigious Booker Prize for her short novel following six astronauts as they contemplate Earth from the International Space Station.
The Booker, which comes with a 50,000 pound ($64,000) cash prize, has launched careers and courted controversy since its creation in 1969.
Just 136 pages long, "Orbital" is the second-shortest novel to win the award and the first to be set in space, according to the Booker Prize Foundation.
It is the 49-year-old Harvey's fifth novel, winning 15 years after her debut book "The Wilderness" was longlisted for the prize.
Razorpay, a leading omnichannel payments and banking platform for businesses, has announced the launch of the Razorpay Venture Investment Program. Developed in partnership with Peak XV Partners and Lightspeed, the initiative aims to identify and support over 50 promising early-stage startups with investments of up to $1 million each.
Razorpay’s strategic program will provide startups with critical funding, technology integration, and personalized mentorship, helping early-stage ventures expand and innovate within sectors like fintech, e-commerce, healthcare, logistics, and more.
The Razorpay Venture Investment Program is designed to support startups at various stages, from pre-seed to Series A, offering access to Razorpay’s robust API stack, market connections, and exclusive Rize community network of over 3,000 founders.
Harshil Mathur- Co-founder & CEO, Razorpay.
Ishaan Mittal- Managing Director at Peak XV Partners.
Shriram General Insurance Company (SGIC) has announced a strategic partnership with The Muthoot Group, enabling Muthoot Securities Ltd customers to easily access SGIC’s range of general insurance products through an integrated online platform.
The partnership allows Muthoot Securities’ customers to explore and buy SGIC’s comprehensive insurance solutions—including motor, fire, engineering, and health insurance—directly from the platform, anytime and from anywhere.
This integration aligns with India’s efforts to improve financial inclusion, making insurance more accessible to a broader audience by combining the expertise of both companies.
This collaboration, formalized by Ragesh GR, CEO of Muthoot Securities Ltd, and Aftab Alvi, Executive Director & Chief Marketing Officer of SGIC, aims to offer a seamless and convenient insurance.
The Centre released new guidelines to regulate misleading advertisements by coaching institutes, prohibiting false claims like 100 percent selection or 100 percent job security.
The final guidelines, drafted by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), come in the wake of several complaints on the National Consumer Helpline.
Under the new guidelines, coaching centres are prohibited from making false claims regarding courses offered and duration; faculty credentials; fee structure and refund policies; selection rates and exam rankings; and guaranteed job security or salary increases.
The guidelines define 'coaching' to include academic support, education, guidance, study programmes and tuition, but exclude counselling, sports and creative activities.
Coaching centres cannot use names, photographs or testimonials of successful candidates without written consent obtained after selection.
They must display disclaimers prominently and disclose important information about courses.
The guidelines, titled 'Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector', cover all forms of advertising across academic support, education, guidance and tuition services. However, they exclude counselling, sports and creative activities.
Listed gaming major Nazara Technologies has integrated with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to launch ‘gCommerce’, an in-game monetisation platform that integrates e-commerce within games.
The platform aims to bolster revenue options for Indian game developers, who face challenges like low in-app purchase (IAP) conversion rates and poor yields from advertising.
The integration will allow game developers to monetise through an affiliate revenue-sharing model, earning a commission on every successful transaction initiated by players through the gCommerce platform.
The gCommerce platform is currently in soft launch and will be rolled out to game developers starting Q1 FY26.
India’s gaming market grew 23 percent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) by revenue to $3.8 billion in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24). The market expected to cross $9.2 billion by FY29, growing at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20 percent, as in-app purchases and ad revenue continue to grow,according to a recent report by gaming-focused venture capital firm Lumikai.
Venture Capital entity BlueGreen Ventures said it has launched a maiden $75 million, about Rs 633 crore, fund for investment in early-stage startups.
The fund has been launched by operators-turned-investors Rajeev Suri and Anup Jain who were managing partners at Orios Venture Partners.
The new fund claims to be backed by Global CEOs and CXOs from Fortune 500 companies, along with successful startup founders from India, the firm said.
BlueGreen Venture fund will prioritise investment in sectors like climate and sustainability, fintech solutions tailored for the new India, and consumer-driven B2C businesses reflecting post-Covid consumption shifts.
The cheque sizes in this segment will range from Rs 7 crore to Rs 12 crore, with BlueGreen Ventures taking the lead in every round, the statement said.
BlueGreen Ventures has roped in the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Kite Insights and The Climate School, Sophie Lambin, on its board as a strategic advisor to strengthen the focus on climate investments.
State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have again been named as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) by the Reserve Bank of India.
The Reserve Bank came out with the list of D-SIBs.
Inclusion in the list requires the lenders to maintain higher Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) in addition to the capital conservation buffer as per the bucket under which it has been classified.
The State Bank of India (SBI) continues to be in bucket 4, which will require the country's largest lender to keep an additional CET1 of 0.80 percent, as per the list.
HDFC Bank, the largest private sector lender, continues to be bracketed in bucket 2, under which it will have to maintain a higher CET1 by 0.40 percent.
The Central bank said the higher D-SIB surcharge for SBI and HDFC Bank will be applicable from April 01, 2025.
"Hence, up to March 31, 2025, the D-SIB surcharge applicable to SBI and HDFC Bank will be 0.60 percent and 0.20 percent, respectively," it said.
ICICI Bank is classified in bucket 1, wherein the second largest private sector lender will have to maintain an additional 0.20 percent in the CET1 buffers.
The RBI said the classifications are based on data collected from banks as of March 31, 2024.
The RBI first announced the framework dealing with D-SIBs in 2014 and tagged SBI and ICICI Bank in the list in 2015 and 2016.
In 2017, it added HDFC Bank to the list along with the other two banks.
The Indian Navy is set to conduct the fourth edition of the ‘Pan-India’ Coastal Defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-24’ on 20 & 21 Nov 24. The fourth edition of Ex Sea Vigil will span an unprecedented scale, both in terms of geographical reach and the magnitude of participation, with the involvement of 06 Ministries and 21 Organisations/ agencies.
The Coastal Defence & Security Readiness Evaluation (CDSRE) phase of the exercise is being conducted by Naval Officer-in-Charge of all coastal states and UTs (including Lakshadweep & A&N Island) since the end Oct 24, where in thorough audit of complete coastal defence and security infrastructure is being carried out.
This year, National Security Council Secretariat officials will also be part of Indian Navy led CDSRE teams for the first time, along with personnel from State Marine Police, Coast Guard, Customs, Fisheries, etc.
The exercise will focus on strengthening the security of coastal assets like ports, oil rigs, Single Point Moorings, Cable Landing Points,
and critical coastal infrastructure including the coastal population. This year participation by other Services (Indian Army and Air Force) and planned deployment of large number of ships and aircraft have enhanced the tempo of the exercise.
Originally conceptualised in 2018, Sea Vigil was designed to validate and enhance measures adopted to bolster Coastal Defence, post the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Exercise Sea Vigil coordinated by the Indian Navy stands out as a national level initiative that provides a holistic appraisal of India’s maritime defence and security capabilities.
The 25th Meeting of the South Asian Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (SATRC-25) was held at New Delhi, India from 11th to 13th November, 2024, gathering regulators, industry leaders, and experts from across South Asia. Hosted by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT).
panning three days, SATRC-25’s program features key discussions that emphasize the theme of “Accelerating Telecommunication and ICT Development for Growth and Inclusiveness,” promoting digital transformation for economic and social prosperity in the region.
SATRC-25 elected Mr. Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India as the Chair of SATRC.
SATRC is an initiative under the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) that promotes regional cooperation and harmonized regulatory practices across South Asia’s telecommunications sector. With members including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
SATRC is dedicated to creating a digitally inclusive society by supporting regulatory innovation, policy alignment, and cooperative efforts to bridge digital divides in the region.
The SATRC-25 meeting featured a comprehensive agenda designed to address key issues in the telecommunications and ICT sectors.
The meeting reviewed the progress of implementation of SATRC Action Plan Phase IX Progress on the work on different work items which were reported by the Chairs of the SATRC Working Groups. Meeting also reviewed the activitiesand the budget implementation of SATRC Action Plan Phase IX for the year 2025.
The total participation numbering about 120, included delegates from more than 10 countries. There were 9 Heads of Regulators/Heads of Delegation representing each of the SATRC Members. The meeting also attracted good participation from the telecom industry, who actively participated in the deliberations.
In a landmark step towards accelerating industrial development in Bihar, National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), the Government of Bihar and the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) have signed the State Support Agreement (SSA) and Shareholder Agreement (SHA) for the establishment of an Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) in Gaya,
a node under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC). This project is poised to drive economic growth while enhancing the cultural legacy of Gaya, a renowned destination for international pilgrimage and heritage tourism.
IMC Gaya, located 39 kms south of Gaya International Airport, will cover 1,670 acres with a projected investment potential of INR 16,524 crore and a project cost of INR 1,339 crore. This ambitious project is expected to create approximately 1,09,185 jobs, providing an economic boost to the local community.
The strategic location of IMC Gaya offers excellent connectivity and access to key transportation hubs as NH-19 (Golden Quadrilateral) is just 10 km away, while NH-22 is 2 km away, proximity to Gaya Junction (40 km) and the upcoming New Paharpur Railway Station under EDFC (45 km) makes access to rail easier.
Gaya International Airport is also 30 km away, Patna International Airport (135 km), and Ranchi Airport (150 km) with access to ports and terminals like Haldia Port in Kolkata (550 km), and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) terminals at Gaighat, Patna (145 km), and Ramnagar, Varanasi (210 km).
Three greenfield road projects have been proposed to further strengthen IMC Gaya's accessibility.
This robust connectivity, including the Golden Quadrilateral and multi-track railway lines, is set to enhance the logistical efficiency for industries in IMC Gaya, making it an attractive hub for domestic and international businesses.
The cluster will include extensive infrastructure like a 29.89 km internal road network, 220/33 KV and 33/11 KV electrical substations, 162 MVA assured power supply, and a 19 MLD water supply system along with a skill development center, fire station, administrative office, parking, and commercial space to support industrial operations and workforce needs.
The cluster will also have ‘Plug n Play’ infrastructure facilities like Common Effluent Treatment Plant, Sewage Treatment Plant, Water Treatment Plant, Solid Waste Management, Stormwater drainage, and green landscaping to ensure environmental compliance.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted the maiden flight-test of Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on November 12, 2024, from a mobile articulated launcher. During the test, all sub-systems performed as per expectation and met the primary mission objectives.
The missile performance was monitored by several range sensors like Radar, Electro Optical Tracking System and telemetry deployed by ITR at different locations to ensure complete coverage of the flight path.
LRLACM has been developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bengaluru along with contribution from other DRDO laboratories and Indian industries.
Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad and Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru are the two Development-Cum-Production-Partners for LRLACM and they are engaged in the missile development and integration. The test was witnessed by senior scientists from various DRDO laboratories along with the representatives from the three Services, the users of the system.
LRLACM is a Defence Acquisition Council-approved, Acceptance of Necessity-sanctioned, Mission Mode Project. It is configured to launch from ground using mobile articulated launcher and also from frontline ships using universal vertical launch module system.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO- Dr Samir V Kamat.
Arvindar Singh Sahney will be the new chairman of Indian Oil Corporation, the nation's largest oil firm, according to an order issued by the petroleum ministry. Sahney, 54, is currently Executive Director (Business Development - Petrochemicals), at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC).
He was in August selected to be the company's director for business development but has now been appointed as chairman of the firm.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal of this ministry for appointment of Shri Arvindar Singh Sahney, Executive Director, IOC to the post of Chairman, IOC, for five years of his assumption of charge of the post.
The post of chairman IOC fell vacant after Shrikant Madhav Vaidya completed his extended tenure on August 31, 2024. Currently, Satish Kumar Vaduguri (Director, Marketing, IOC), is holding the additional charge of chairman of the Fortune 500 company.
Sahney will be the second person after B Ashok to be elevated to the top job of the company without a board experience.
