The Centre’s Textiles Committee under the Ministry of Textiles and the North Eastern Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation (NEHHDC) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Guwahati to protect and promote the rich traditional crafts of the Northeast.
The MoU was signed during the North Eastern Region Conclave to strengthen Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection for unique handloom and handicraft products from the region through Geographical Indications (GI) registration and post-GI initiatives.
As part of the agreement, the two organisations will initially facilitate GI registration for 33 distinctive products from the Northeast - 18 from Nagaland and 15 from Meghalaya - under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
These products represent centuries-old traditions and indigenous knowledge systems that are deeply rooted in the cultural identity of the region.
Beyond GI registration, the collaboration aims to ensure long-term benefits for artisans and weavers.
Sunil Kumar Meena, Inspector General of Police (Crime and Law & Order), Uttarakhand, and Chief Spokesperson of the Police Headquarters, has highlighted two major achievements of the Uttarakhand Police securing first position in the ICJS (Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System) 2.0 national ranking and,
the exemplary performance of the Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) during Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has set a target to fully operationalise ICJS 2.0 by 2026, integrating police, courts, prosecution, prisons, forensics, and fingerprint databases on a single digital platform.
Shri A. K. Balasubrahmanian, Distinguished Scientist, has taken over charge as Chairman, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on January 01, 2026 from the outgoing Chairman, Dr. D. K. Shukla.
Before joining AERB, Shri A. K. Balasubrahmanian served as Chairman, Project Design Safety Committee for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)–based Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs),
and as Member, Safety Review Committee for Operating Plants of AERB.
Shri A. K. Balasubrahmanian, a Distinguished Scientist, is a mechanical engineer with training in nuclear engineering and is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (FNAE).
Shri A. K. Balasubrahmanian has earlier served as Director (Technical) on the Board of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). He has participated in several international conferences and discussions on nuclear reactor technology and safety.
India has become the first nation in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
In technical parlance, bio-bitumen is a binding material produced from renewable sources such as vegetable oils, crop stubble, among others.
Notably, this material is used in road laying activity.
According to the minister, bio-bitumen aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Besides, he said that the use of agro-waste helps address pollution caused by crop burning and supports the circular economy.
Gadkari pointed out that with 15 per cent blending, India can save nearly ₹4,500 crore in foreign exchange and reduce dependence on imported crude oil.
India – Business Wire India IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization of more than 500,000 worldwide, dedicated to advancing technology for humanity, proudly announces that Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, has been named the recipient of the 2026 IEEE Medal of Honor, the organization’s highest accolade, and its accompanying $2 million prize.
Huang is being recognized for lifetime of visionary leadership and pioneering work in accelerated computing, which has propelled NVIDIA to forefront of technological innovation. This joins Huang’s other recent honors, including the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, Person of the Year from Financial Times and TIME Magazine, and the Professor Stephen Hawking Fellowship.
Under his guidance, NVIDIA - which became the first company to top $5 trillion in market cap in October 2025 - invented the first graphics processing unit (GPU) in 1999—a breakthrough that revolutionized computing and enabled advancements across medicine, engineering, robotics, autonomous vehicles, manufacturing, and more.
The United Nations General Assembly at its 76th session declared 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP). FAO is the lead agency for celebrating the Year in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.
The Year also aims to foster inclusive policy dialogue and collaborative engagement to improve pastoralist livelihoods and sustainable rangeland management. Rangelands and pastoralists have great potential to contribute and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Renowned ecologist Madhav Gadgil passed away at his residence in Pune late night on January 7, 2026 after a brief illness.
He was known for his work on the ecological significance of the Western Ghats.
In 2024, the United Nations had recognised him with the annual Champions of the Earth award, the U.N.’s highest environmental honour, for his seminal work in the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot.
His report included several recommendations for strict restrictions regarding areas categorised as highly sensitive.
It had recommended that no new roads or building construction be allowed, no development on steep slopes, and a ban on rock quarrying, among others.
Madhav Gadgil was a writer, researcher, academic and columnist who started the Centre for Ecological Sciences under the Indian Institute of Science in the year 1983.
He had played a key role in the proposal of the first Biosphere Reserve Project in 1986, and contributed significantly to the Biological Diversity Act 2003, Forest Rights Act 2006.
Federal Bank unveiled The Fortuna Wave, its refreshed brand identity that reflects the Bank’s evolution and desire to be contemporary and future‑ready. The launch took place in the presence of the Bank’s Leadership and the Brand Ambassador Ms Vidya Balan in Mumbai.
The Fortuna Wave represents authenticity, prosperity and togetherness—the values the Bank seeks for and from its customers, investors and employees. The intent behind the refresh is to enhance recognition and differentiation for the Federal Bank brand. This ensures a distinct, coherent and continuous visual language across physical and digital assets.
The Fortuna Wave is the brand’s insignia, redefined and modernised as a central asset to all outreach and engagement efforts. The three waves represent authenticity, togetherness and prosperity—the values that guide Federal Bank’s journey of progress. The emblem serves as a symbol of collective growth, optimism and forward movement.
The new logo and insignia enhance visibility, legibility, style, tone, colour usage and adaptability. They underline the warmth and approachability of the Bank’s business philosophy. The sentence‑case format strikes a balance between professionalism and friendliness.
A new species of reed snake was found in Mizoram, which the researchers named after the state where it was found, calling it Calamaria Mizoramensis.
A team of researchers headed by HT Lalremsanga, professor in Mizoram University confirmed the discovery.
The discovery, led by Prof HT Lalremsanga, head of the department of zoology, along with fellow researcher Malsawmdawngliana Fanai, their team, and other colleagues from Russia, Germany and Vietnam, has been formally published in the latest issue of Zootaxa issued on January 5, 2026.
According to Prof. HT Lalremsanga, the genus Calamaria comprises 69 recognised species globally, most of them small, secretive, and poorly studied; the newly described Mizoram species is non-venomous and poses no threat to humans.
Lalremsanga described the species as nocturnal and semi-fossorial, inhabiting humid, forested hill environments.
The study also revealed an updated checklist of Mizoram’s herpetofauna, documenting 169 species, including 52 amphibians and 117 reptiles, highlighting the state’s high reptile and amphibian diversity.
Financial Software and Systems (FSS) a global leader in payments technology and transaction processing, has become the first payments company in India, the Middle East, APAC and South Africa to be certified as an ISO IEC 42001 Certification Lead, reinforcing its leadership in responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in payments and banking technology.
IDFC FIRST Bank announced the launch of Zero-Forex Diamond Reserve Credit Card, a premium travel and lifestyle offering primarily for affluent global travellers who would like to get a proposition of Zero Forex Markup, travel lounges, accelerated travel rewards and lifestyle privileges.
The key travel and lifestyle features of the Diamond Reserve Credit card are:
- 0% forex markup on all international spends.
- Earn up to 60 Reward Points for every ₹150 spent on hotel bookings via the app. With each Reward Point valued at ₹0.25, that's ₹15 back on every ₹150 spent--an effective 10% value back on hotel stays.
Diamond Reserve is an ideal choice for customers with significant international travel exposure, who want a premium card that works seamlessly both overseas and in India. With zero forex mark-up, a strong travel-led rewards proposition, and an annual fee waiver at ₹6 lakh spends, it becomes a natural companion and the primary card for global travel and lifestyle.
The Centre on January 4, 2026 relaxed norms for deep-tech start-ups to avail financial assistance from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).
At the 42nd foundation day celebrations of the DSIR, Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh announced the removal of the three-year viability criteria for deep-tech start-ups,
to avail financial assistance of up to ₹1 crore under the Industrial Research and Development Promotion Programme (IRDPP) of the department.
The DSIR extends financial assistance of up to Rs. 1 crore to start-ups under the IRDPP only if they prove to be sustainable and viable for a minimum period of three years.
The move is expected to provide early momentum to projects as well as promising innovators and entrepreneurs.
For early-stage innovators or start-ups, a wide basket of schemes already exists across departments such as DST, CSIR, TDB (Technology Development Board) and others.
Axis Bank has announced the launch of its new ‘Safety Centre’ on the Axis mobile banking app ‘open’. This security hub empowers customers with real-time, customer-controlled security features to safeguard their accounts against unauthorised or suspicious activities, without the need to call customer care or visit a branch.
Ramesh Kumar Juneja, Vice–Chairman, Council for Leather Exports (CLE), took charge as Chairman of CLE in the 184th meeting of Committee of Administration of CLE. CLE is an Export Promotion Council, Sponsored by Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Juneja has been a board member in CLE for over 15 years and is serving as the Regional Chairman of the Eastern Region since 2014. He is the Vice Chairman of Council for Leather exports since April 2024, says a release.
Juneja’s association with the Leather Industry spans over four decades.
