In a landmark achievement for Indian student innovation, Japteg Singh Bamrah, a Class 12 student from Dalhousie Public School, has won the prestigious HonorsGradU 2025 Scholarship, securing the coveted “Build a Better Future” Award for his groundbreaking invention—the Solar Mech Engine.
Japteg Singh Bamrah and his Mentor, Dr. Nasir Ul Rasheed, demonstrating the Solar Mech Engine project executed under the Jigyasa Hackathon initiative.
Mentored by Dr. Nasir Ul Rasheed, Senior Scientist at CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, under the Jigyasa Hackathon initiative,
Japteg emerged as one of five global winners out of thousands of entries from around the world. He has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship for his undergraduate education in the United States, along with an additional $5,000 grant for further development and scaling of his innovation. Notably, his project was recognized as the top technology among this year’s winners.
Organized by Honors Graduation, a U.S.-based non-profit supporting student-led sustainability and innovation projects, the HonorsGradU Scholarship is highly competitive, offering only five awards annually across the globe. Japteg is the first and only student from India since the program’s inception in 2012 to top the list, marking a moment of pride for the nation.
The Solar Mech Engine, which earlier won the CSIR Jigyasa Hackathon 2024, is a standalone solar thermal system that operates on Concentrated Heat and Power (CHP) technology. It utilizes the principles of cyclic air expansion and contraction due to temperature differences to convert heat energy into mechanical energy.
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) successfully conducted a Proof of Concept (PoC) on the use of face authentication during the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2025 in New Delhi.
This initiative was carried out in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the National Testing Agency (NTA),
marking a significant step towards enhancing exam security and candidate verification processes using advanced biometric technology.
The PoC was aimed at evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of Aadhaar-based face authentication as a means of verifying the identity of candidates appearing for one of India’s largest entrance examinations.
During the PoC, Aadhaar Face Authentication technology was deployed at select NEET centres in Delhi, and was integrated seamlessly with NIC’s digital infrastructure, and NTA’s examination protocols.
The face authentication was performed in real-time, using Aadhaar’s biometric database, making the process contactless and more streamlined.
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) announced the selection of seven e-Nodes for support under its “Mission for Advancement of High-impact Areas on Electric Vehicles” (MAHA-EV). The current program launched under the umbrella of ANRF’s national mission, aims to address the critical challenges and drive innovation in India’s electric vehicle ecosystem.
ANRF MAHA-EV call for proposal focussed on three strategically defined Technological Verticals (TV) are Tropical EV Battery and Battery Cells (TV-I), Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD)- (TV-II) and EV Charging Infrastructure (TV-III).
The each selected electric mobility nodes (e-nodes) will execute the project in consortia mode involving academic institutions/R&D laboratories with the mandatory industry participation, in order to contribute to and establish the R&D in the EV sector of the country.
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the development of two genome-edited rice varieties, in India, at Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex, New Delhi. This marks a new beginning in the field of scientific research and innovation. A large number of scientists and farmers attended the event.
A high level Indian delegation is set to present its transformative SVAMITVA Scheme and Gram Manchitra platform at the World Bank Land Conference 2025, taking place from 5th to 8th May at the World Bank Headquarters, Washington, D.C. in the United States of America.
The delegation will present its flagship SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme at two key sessions during the upcoming international forum on land governance.
K V Rabiya, a physically challenged social worker from this district who rose to prominence through her active role in the Kerala state literacy campaign, died at a hospital. She was 59.
About K V Rabiya
Rabiya had won the Padma Shri for her contributions in the field of social work in 2022.
Rabiya, who was crippled by polio at the age of 14, had to continue her studies from home on a wheelchair.
In June 1992, she began a campaign for adult literacy for illiterate people of all ages at Tirurangadi, near her native place of Vellilakkad in Malappuram district. Through her dedicated work, she introduced hundreds of illiterate people to the world of letters.
Rabiya received her first national recognition in 1994 when she won the national youth award from the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Rabiya won the Padma Shri in 2002, on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day.
She had also won various honours of the state government and several social organisations.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out maiden flight-trials of Stratospheric Airship Platform from Sheopur Trial site in Madhya Pradesh on May 03, 2025. Developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, Agra, the airship was launched carrying an instrumental payload to an altitude of around 17 kms.
Data from onboard sensors was received and would be utilised for development of high-quality fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship flights. Envelop pressure control and emergency deflation systems were deployed in flight for their performance evaluation. Trial team recovered the system for further investigation.
The total duration of the flight was about 62 minutes.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat congratulated the DRDO team involved in design, development and trial of the system.
Hyderabad-based 'Goldsikka' unveiled an AI-powered Gold-Melting ATM offering users the ability to buy, sell, exchange, lease, digitise and monetise gold and gold jewellery.
Goldsikka which launched India's first real-time Gold ATM in 2022, is introducing the next-generation ATM which incorporates advanced features that redefine gold transactions.
The machine offers an integrated Augmented Reality (AR) experience, allowing users to virtually try on jewellery before making a purchase, he said.
The machine offers an integrated Augmented Reality (AR) experience, allowing users to virtually try on jewellery before making a purchase, he said.
The process of depositing the gold in the ATM and getting the money in the bank account will take an approximate time of 30 minutes and during this time the machine takes the photograph of the depositor, verifies Aadhar card and ID proof, Taruj said.
The company has already set up 14 Gold ATMs (which dispense gold and silver coins) across India and three ATMs in other countries.
In a strong start to FY’26, MOIL has reported its highest ever April performance, reinforcing its commitment to operational excellence, in terms of,
Record April production of 1.62 lakh tonnes of Manganese (Mn) ore, registering a growth of 1.5% over CPLY.
Exploratory core drilling of 11,453 meters - a 58% increase over CPLY.
Shri Ajit Kumar Saxena, CMD, MOIL, remarked, "MOIL’s April performance sets a positive tone for the year ahead. The organization remains committed to sustained growth and value creation."
Shri Prakash Magdum has assumed charge as the Managing Director of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).
Shri Magdum is a 1999-batch Indian Information Officer Service officer. Prior to this, Shri Magdum served as the Additional Director General of Press Information Bureau (PIB) and Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) in Ahmedabad.
During an illustrious career spanning two decades, Shri Magdum had served as the Director of the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) in Pune. In this role, he was instrumental in preserving India’s cinematic heritage through film archiving and restoration efforts.
He has also served as the Registrar of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).
Home-grown FMCG major Marico said it has extended the tenure of Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer Saugata Gupta by re-appointing him for next two years.
The board had also approved continuation of Directorship of Harsh Mariwala, Chairman and Founder of Marico, as a Non-Executive Director,
based on recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the company.
Gupta had joined Marico, which owns popular brands including Saffola, Parachutte and Livon, in 2004 as the Head of Marketing.
He was elevated as CEO of India business in 2007.
Since 2014, Gupta has been continuing as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Markets regulator Sebi has strengthened the governance framework of market infrastructure institutions -- stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories -- by prescribing a mandatory cooling-off period for directors before they can join a competing institution.
To give this effect, Sebi has amended Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Stock Exchanges and Clearing Corporations) Regulations, 2018 or SECC Regulations as well as Depositories and Participants norms 2018.
With March CPI inflation falling to a multi-year low of 3.34 percent and expectations of benign inflation going forward, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may look at cutting policy rates by as much as 125 basis points (bps) in the current financial year (FY26), with a 75 bps cut expected in the June and August policy meetings,
followed by another 50 bps in the second half of FY26, SBI Research said.
The RBI’s six-member Monetary Policy Committee has already cut policy rates by 50 bps so far, with a 25 bps cut in February and another 25 bps cut in the April policy.
