Sh. Bhuvnesh Kumar assumes charge as Chief Executive Officer of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) [01 Jan 2025]

Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar assumed charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He is an officer of the 1995 batch IAS from the Uttar Pradesh cadre.

A graduate and gold medalist from the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, he held several important positions both at the Centre and in his cadre state. Along with CEO UIDAI, he continues to be an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. Earlier, he has also served as the Joint Secretary in MeitY.

India becomes fourth nation to achieve space docking with indigenous system [30 Dec 2024]

India has reached a major milestone in space exploration, becoming the fourth nation to successfully perform space docking using its indigenously developed ‘Bharatiya Docking System’. The SpaDeX mission, ISRO’s year-end project, aims to achieve the challenging task of docking two satellites in space. This cost-effective technology demonstration will test and validate in-space docking capabilities using two small spacecraft, SDX01 and SDX02. These technologies are critical for future missions, including Chandrayaan-4, the Indian space station, and the manned Gaganyaan mission.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian assumes charge as NHRC Chairperson [30 Dec 2024]

Justice V. Ramasubramanian, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, assumed charge as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India. Justice (Dr.) Vidyut Ranjan Sarangi also took office as a Member of the Commission. Their appointments were made by President Droupadi Murmu on December 21.

PM Modi Chosen for Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados [22 Nov 2024]

PM Narendra Modi was conferred the Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados, the prestigious civilian honour of Barbados. He got the honour for his contribution for strengthening bilateral ties of India-Barbados.

PM Modi Receives Highest Civilian Honour 'Order of Excellence' of Guyana [21 Nov 2024]

President of Guyana Dr. Irfaan Ali conferred the Order of Excellence, the country's highest civilian honour, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Georgetown, Guyana. The award recognised Modi's visionary statesmanship, championing the rights of developing nations, exceptional service to the global community, and his commitment to strengthening India-Guyana relations. He is the only fourth foreign leader to be conferred with the highest civilian award of Guyana.

PM Narendra Modi Honoured with Top Civilian Honour of Dominica [20 Nov 2024]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the 'Dominica Award of Honour', the top civilian honour of Dominica by Dominican President Sylvanie Burton during the India-CARICOM Summit. He received this honour for his contributions to the Caribbean nation during the Covid-19 pandemic and his dedication to enhancing the bilateral partnership between India and Dominica. The award also recognises India's support for Dominica in healthcare, education and information technology under Modi's leadership and his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development on a global level.

Sonu Sood Named Brand Ambassador of Thailand Tourism [20 Nov 2024]

Sonu Sood, renowned Bollywood actor and philanthropist, has a new feather in his cap as he was in November 2024 appointed as the brand ambassador and honourary advisor for Thailand tourism. Known for roles on screen and loved for his humanitarian work, especially during the pandemic. Sood's new role is set to further strengthen Thailand's image as a preferred travel destination for Indian tourists.

India Retains Women's Asian Champions Hockey Trophy 2024 [20 Nov 2024]

Defending champion, Indian Women's Hockey team defeated China 1-0 in the final at Rajgir, Bihar to retain the Women's Asian Champions Hockey Trophy 2024. India's Deepika scored the only goal of the final to hand India its third Women's Asian Champions Hockey title, making India join most successful team with South Korea in terms of title triumphs of the Women's Asian Champions Hockey event.

ISRO's Communication Satellite GSAT-N2 Launched into Space by SpaceX [19 Nov 2024]

Elon Musk-owned SpaceX successfully launched the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s communication satellite GSAT-N2 aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The event marks the first of many commercial collaborations between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and SpaceX. 

The GSAT-N2 is a communication satellite jointly developed by ISRO's Satellite Centre and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre. With 48 Gbps data transmission capacity, this high-throughput satellite will enhance broadband services and provide in-flight connectivity nationwide. It will continue the GSAT series of communication satellites and add data transmission capacity to the communication infrastructure required for India's Smart Cities Mission. The satellite is equipped with 32 user beams, comprising 8 narrow spot beams over the Northeast region and 24 wide spot beams over the rest of India. These 32 beams will be supported by hub stations located within mainland India. 

The Ka-Band HTS communication payload provides a throughput of approximately 48 Gbps. GSAT-N2 has been designed to support the growing demand for high-speed internet, especially in areas where connectivity has traditionally been limited. The satellite has a lift-off weight of 4,700 kg and a mission life of 14 years.

PM Narendra Modi Conferred 'Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger' [17 Nov 2024]

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the national award 'Grand Commander of the Order of Niger' on PM Shri Narendra Modi for his statesmanship and stellar contribution to fostering India-Nigeria ties.