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CIMA Awards 2025 recognises the finest in Indian art

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The latest edition of the triennial ceremony was held at Taj Bengal on February 1.

A little over three decades ago, 43, Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue became the hub of Kolkata’s arts scene, with the establishment of the Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA). Since 1993, CIMA has become a cornerstone for bridging the gap between the world’s best creative minds and Kolkata.

February 1 saw the organisation celebrating the pinnacle of Indian art at Taj Bengal, with the CIMA Awards 2025, in association with The Telegraph Online. My Kolkata was in the audience.

CIMA director and managing trustee of the Art & Heritage Foundation, Rakhi Sarkar, gave the introductory speech for the triennial ceremony. “The CIMA Awards are the apple of our eye, acquainting us with the creative strength of young India. The awardees have been selected while maintaining the highest standards of originality and excellence, given how uniqueness and experimentation blend seamlessly at CIMA.”

The awards received more than 210 submissions by 200 artists from 22 Indian states. A jury selection jury comprised veterans, like Indrapramit Roy, Kunal Basu, Alka Pande and Shreyasi Chatterjee shortlisted the best paintings, sculptures, graphics, installations and new media. These shortlisted artworks are being exhibited at the Academy of Fine Arts (January 31 – February 18) and CIMA Art Gallery (January 31 – February 28).

“We especially looked for artworks that made us think. Art that doesn’t offend or ask questions, can’t be called art,” said Roy.

Pande added, “The CIMA Awards are a fantastic springboard for these artists to get visibility.” Basu further remarked, “We have such a diverse country, with many different Indias living within India. We can confidently say that all the works exhibited by CIMA reflect all of India.”

February 1 saw 12 big winners, along with two special awardees. While Pankaj Shah and Minakumari Raste were presented with the Sarbani Kar Lifetime Achievement Award for pioneering craft in Kutch, Birla Academy of Art & Culture was felicitated as a distinguished art institution of India. “While we weren’t comfortable with recognition, Rakhiji felt that our work could inspire others in the craft sector. We want to bring forward India’s traditional arts and crafts to the global stage, and provide due credit to the artisans who work behind the scenes to make this happen,” smiled Shah. “This award wouldn’t have been possible without my parents, who started this initiative as a private collection in their home, and then grew it into an academy,” beamed Mohta.

Supriyo Manna emerged as the winner of the CIMA Award 2025, for his moving piece titled, ‘The Harvest of Trust’. Chandan Bez Baruah was declared the first runner-up, while Sougata Das and Kalpana Vishwas jointly won the second runners-up award.

The evening’s vote of thanks was delivered by CIMA’s chief administrator, Pratiti Basu Sarkar. “The participation of these artists is what determines the quality of The CIMA Awards. The jury ensured impartiality and showed great commitment to art. All that CIMA is, comes from our great team,” she said.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

India leads in Global South’s response to AI and automation: Report

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The GLMC’s report “Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering skills in a dynamic global labour market” emphasises India’s key role in the Global South’s response to AI and automation.

As ministers, academics and experts gather in the Saudi Arabian capital to discuss the challenges facing the global labour market, a report has positioned India as the leader in the Global South’s response to disruptions such artificial intelligence (AI) and automation.

The Global Labour Market Conference (GLMC), a flagship event of the Saudi government, has attracted participants from some 150 countries, including International Labour Organization (ILO) director-general Gilbert Houngbo and representatives of leading Indian players such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to discuss practical strategies for the sustainability of labour markets.

The GLMC’s report “Navigating Tomorrow: Mastering skills in a dynamic global labour market” emphasises India’s key role in the Global South’s response to AI and automation and says the country’s workers have been frontrunners in skill development and technological adaptation.

The report, which focuses on technological advancements, demographic shifts and climate change as factors reshaping employment trends across 14 countries, including India, states more than 70% of Indian professionals actively seek opportunities to upskill, making the country a global leader in technological adaptation.

While global trust in governments to support upskilling remains low at 20%, Indian respondents (31%) and Saudi Arabia respondents (35%) showed significantly higher confidence in their governments. The figures for the US (15%) and the UK (12%) were lower.

The urgency to reskill because of technological advancements is a concern among Indian professionals, with 55% fearing their skills could become partially or fully obsolete within five years. This places India in line with similar concerns expressed by 61% in Brazil and 60% in China, compared to lower levels in developed markets such as the UK (44%) and Australia (43%).

Several sessions at the GLMC have focused on disruptions caused in the global and regional labour markets by AI and the need for new strategies and training programmes to deal with these challenges. In his opening address at the conference on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s human resources minister Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi emphasised the need for “bold steps” to respond to emerging challenges.

“The world is witnessing rapid technological advancement, fundamental demographic changes and emerging issues such as climate adaptation. These developments require us to take proactive and bold steps to prepare humanity for the future,” Al-Rajhi said.

Al-Rajhi announced a key initiative – the launch of the Riyadh- based Global Labour Market Academy in partnership with the World Bank – to provide policymakers worldwide, especially in middle and low-income countries, with tools to implement effective labour market reforms.

“Our vision remains clear and our goals steadfast to work together to build a flexible and inclusive labour market that can adapt to future challenges and changes efficiently and effectively,” he said.

West Asian countries are key for the Indian labour force as they host nine million expatriates. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) each are home to almost three million Indians, including blue collar workers engaged in construction and a growing number of professionals in fields such as IT, engineering, medicine, architecture and services.

The GLMC’s report also noted that climate change has spurred upskilling or reskilling in India, with 32% of respondents identifying it as a factor influencing their reskilling decisions in the next five years.

However, barriers to upskilling or reskilling remain consistent globally, with Indian respondents citing lack of time (40%) and financial constraints (38%) as primary challenges. This was in line with patterns in Brazil, where 43% reported lack of time and 39% financial constraints, and South Africa, where 45% and 42% respectively cited these barriers.

The report said India’s proactive stance on upskilling (55%) for the next five years contrasted with trends in more developed markets such as the US (51%), UK (44%), and Australia (49%), where fewer workers reported an urgency to reskill due to technological change. Also, 26% of Indian respondents expressed anxiety about job automation, showing a more optimistic outlook compared to 36% in China, which led as the “most technologically anxious market”.

(The author Rezaul H Laskar , is in Riyadh at the invitation of the Saudi Arabian government.)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

Indian Navy completes hydrographic survey of 25,000 sq. nautical miles of Mauritius

The fair sheet of the hydrographic survey were formally handed over to Mauritius President Dharambeer Gokhool by High Commissioner of India to Mauritius Anurag Srivastava at a formal ceremony on Thursday.

The Indian Navy’s INS Sarvekshak completed the final phase of the hydrographic survey of Mauritius covering an extensive area of over 25,000 square nautical miles. The fair sheet of the hydrographic survey, along with newly prepared nautical charts and survey equipment were formally handed over to Mauritius President Dharambeer Gokhool by High Commissioner of India to Mauritius Anurag Srivastava at a formal ceremony on Thursday (January 23, 2025).

“The creation of a new nautical chart will enable Mauritius to develop its maritime infrastructure, resource management and coastal development planning. This milestone event reflects the enduring partnership between India and Mauritius in fostering maritime development and regional cooperation,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.

In addition, Captain Tribhuvan Singh, Commanding Officer of INS Sarvekshak called on Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, Minister of Housing and Lands, Mauritius and discussed the details of survey operations undertaken.

Indian Navy hydrographic vessels regularly assist various countries in hydrographic surveys of their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). “In line with Government of India’s SAGAR initiative, the survey ships of the Indian Navy have conducted various joint survey operations with friendly foreign nations covering an area of 89,000 sq. km. in the last five years and have produced 96 charts,” the Navy said on June 21 last year when World Hydrography Day is observed.

The Navy has also assisted them by capacity building and knowledge sharing. These efforts are undertaken by indigenously built survey ships mapping the vast Indian Ocean Region.

On the bilateral front, India and Mauritius have extensive defence cooperation spanning various domains. Mauritius has an International Liaison Officer at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) located in Gurugram. Mauritius also hosts radar centres that are part of India’s joint coastal radar surveillance system. Mauritius Police Force operates two Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH)-MkIII and one Dornier Do-228 aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

India has significantly scaled up its capacity building assistance to littoral states in the Indian Ocean as part of efforts to augment their national capacities. There has also been a particular focus on increasing defence exports in the last few years.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

India-U.S. joint Sonobuoy production line expected to be ready by 2027

India and the U.S. had last week announced the ‘first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production’ of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness for the Indian Navy.

The final assembly of sonobuoys from the U.S., meant for detecting submarines underwater, will be done in India and an operational production line is expected to be ready in 2027, according to the U.S. company Ultra Maritime (UM). The systems will be co-produced in India in partnership with defence public sector undertaking Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

In a significant development, India and the U.S. last week announced the “first-of-its-kind partnership on co-production” of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness for the Indian Navy, a high-end technology that allows tracking of submarines in the deep seas and oceans. The announcement was made in the fact sheet issued at the end of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s visit to India last week.

“Workshare will be in line with the principles of Make in India. Final assembly will be done in India. Our goal is to have an operational production line in 2027,” Ultra Maritime said in response to questions from The Hindu sent on email. “These will be U.S.-specification sonobuoys equivalent to those used on the P-8 aircraft.”

Chairman of BDL, Commodore A. Madhavarao (retd.), had stated that they are looking to set up joint production with Ultra Maritime in Vishakhapatnam.

The U.S.-based company, a world-leader in the design and production of undersea warfare capabilities, has already stated that in line with the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) launched in May 2022, they will also pursue new sonobuoy technologies with BDL teams to optimise their acoustic performance in the unique environment of the Indian Ocean, enabling wide area search through bespoke multi-static active solutions. To a question, the company clarified that this was in addition to the initial production already envisaged.

On the future outlook, Ultra Maritime said it was working with BDL to identify opportunities for Indian suppliers to enter its global supply chain.

An Ultra Maritime statement issued last week had stated that the UM sonobuoys co-produced in India are interchangeable and interoperable between the U.S. Navy, Indian Navy and allied P-8, MH-60R and the MQ-9B Sea Guardian aircraft.

The development is of particular significance as India has over the years acquired a series of military platforms from the U.S. that are also operated by other countries in the region, especially Australia and Japan, which too are part of the Quad grouping and also hold the Malabar naval exercise. These sonobuoys are dropped from aircraft and helicopters. India is also pursuing another technology – sensors embedded on the ocean bed – and recently some progress has been made as a few Indian start-ups showcased the technology that is now undergoing trials.

As China undertakes massive expansion of its navy and also its presence in the Indian Ocean, undersea domain awareness has become critical and Indian Navy has been collaborating with countries on the region, especially the Quad group.

Indian Navy operates the P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, is inducting the MH-60R multi-role helicopters and has two MQ-9A armed High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems on lease. It signed a $3.5 billion contract in October 2024 for 31 MQ-9B–15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and 16 Sky Guardians, eight each for the Army and Air Force, with deliveries to begin from January 2029.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Oscars 2025: Payal Kapadia’s seat at the big table

A lack of budget certainly didn’t stop the filmmaker. Her big win at Cannes, along with rave reviews, special screenings and strong distributors with festival know-how have given her an edge.

In the spring of 2022, S.S. Rajamouli’s historical action drama RRR was a huge hit in India and in the global Indian diaspora market when two American distributors floated the idea of releasing it once again — to reach an audience not usually drawn to Indian films.

With great word of mouth and reviews, the film pulled more American audiences. It was quite unlike anything Americans had seen. RRR ended up winning a few critics’ association awards and a Golden Globe for the song ‘Nattu Nattu’. One day before the final Oscars voting began, the distributors, Variance Films and Potentate Films, organised a sold-out screening in the 1,647-seat Ace Hotel Theatre in Los Angeles. A couple of weeks later, ‘Nattu Nattu’ won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures.

Indian films rarely make such an impact in the U.S. during the awards seasons. I have been observing this for over four decades, first as a journalism student, then an entertainment writer and the festival director of the oldest Indian film festival in North America. Unless it is a work of the magnitude of Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi — a British-Indian co-production that won eight Oscars in 1983, beating Steven Spielberg’s most loved film E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial. Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire also won eight Oscars, but unlike Gandhi it was a British production with no Indian producer attached to it.

Grand Prix sets the ball rolling

Marketing, promotion, and celebrity endorsements are often a big part of the awards campaign. In the fall of 2001, British filmmaker Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields) called a few of his friends in Hollywood — all members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Joffé had seen Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan, which was India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film. He had liked the film — about a farmer during the British Raj who challenges its officers to a game of cricket to get tax exemption — and wanted to make sure his friends would attend the Academy’s screening.

But in all these years I had not seen an Indian film reach American shores with a stamp of having won an award at a major film festival — not until May 2024, when Payal Kapadia’s second feature All We Imagine as Light won the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. It was the first Indian film in 30 years to play in the main competition section of the festival.

Suddenly, it seemed everyone was talking about All We Imagine as Light, a Malayalam language drama on three working women and the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood. IndieWire gave it an A rating; they are usually very conservative in their reviews. And senior critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film a five-star rating, comparing it to Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar and Aranyer Din Ratri.

his followed screenings at the top three fall season festivals in North America: Telluride, Toronto and New York. There were more awards, including from several American critics’ associations. And even though India did not submit All We Imagine as Light for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, the buzz about it remained strong.

According to filmmaker and film preservationist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur the reason for the success of All We Imagine as Light is the new film language that Kapadia has developed. “She blends fiction with documentary style of filmmaking giving her narrative an almost hypnotic quality,” he says. “You can’t tell where the fiction begins and when it is pure documentary.” Mumbai-based Kapadia worked as an assistant with Dungarpur before she joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Her journey since has been one of resilience — overcoming wrongful charges of rioting at FTII (where her scholarship was suspended), to persisting with her vision even when her films never found a local audience. Until now.

Under a Golden spotlight

One of the advantages All We Imagine as Light could have had is its European producers. “I don’t know [if there’s a specific] benefit in having a producer from a different part of the world… but if you are keen to premiere at a film festival in Europe, then European producers know the process,” says Kapadia. “Now, many Indian producers are learning about it, along with the American festival system. Look at Reema Das. She is her own producer and has always premiered her movies at top-level festivals. Her films are very local and yet the themes resonate across the world.”

Late last year, several critics and major publications — from The New York Times to Sight and Sound magazine ranked All We Imagine as Light as the number one film of the year. In its recent Instagram post, Sight and Sound described the film as “a delicate, dreamlike tale of loneliness and fellowship” and added that the film recalled works of Ray and Wong Kar-wai. One day after Christmas, Variety named Kapadia as one of the international breakouts of the year.

So, no one seemed surprised when All We Imagine as Light received two Golden Globes nominations, including one in the Best Director category. Variety wrote this reflected “Kapadia’s growing influence in world cinema”. This was the first such nomination for an Indian filmmaker for a film made in India. In 1999, Shekhar Kapur received a Best Director nomination for Elizabeth, but that was a British production.

All We Imagine as Light also received a Golden Globes nomination for Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only accepts one international film submitted by each individual country, but the Hollywood Foreign Press Association — the body that awards the Golden Globes — accepts submissions by producers of foreign language films. And so the filmcould compete.

For a while now, commentators have said that the Golden Globes have lost their significance. But one cannot deny that Academy members and studios seriously follow the Globes — the nominations and the awards. (And since any film that runs for a week in any of the U.S.’s six metropolitan areas is eligible to be nominated for the Oscars, All We Imagine as Light is a contender.)

Kapadia attended the Globes dressed in a black silk outfit designed by Payal Khandwala and she wore earrings gifted to her by her mother, the painter Nalini Malani. She was accompanied by her two French producers, Thomas Hakim and Julien Graff, and cinematographer Ranabir Das. “It was such a huge honour to be nominated,” Kapadia shares the day after the Golden Globes ceremony. “The nominations really put our film back in people’s attention. And of course, talking to stars you have admired is always a thrill. I met Jodie Foster as well as director Walter Salles who had both seen our movie, and they liked it!”

Kapadia’s chance of winning a Globe was never definite, given the competitive field she was in, but her name has already registered in the minds of many Academy members. Meanwhile, last week, the film was longlisted in three categories for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), including best director.

Celebrity support for Indian films 

The torch of All We Imagine as Light has been kept burning by the film’s two distributors, Janus Films and Sideshow. The former had two other foreign language films nominated for the Golden Globes: Vermiglio (Italy), a drama set during World War II, and Flow (Lithuania), a fantasy adventure about a solitary cat’s survival. Flow won the Globe for the Best Motion Picture, Animated.

“We are lucky to work with Janus and Sideshow who really take care of the films they distribute,” Kapadia says. “They understand this system well and make sure that the campaign effort is streamlined and specific. We don’t have a major studio funding backing this effort so it’s sheer hard work from everyone involved.” A stark contrast to money-backed films such as RRR or even a Gandhi, which had the support of a big studio for its Oscar campaign.

But in a crowded field with Hollywood and foreign language films competing for the short attention span of Academy members, celebrity support for films can be really helpful. Late last year before the Oscar shortlists were announced, Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón hosted a screening of Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies in London. British film director of Indian origin Gurinder Chadha, who is a member of the Academy along with Cuarón, also attended the screening.

In mid-November, Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair moderated a post-screening Q&A of All We Imagine as Light with Kapadia at NeueHouse, a small theatre in Manhattan with just 86 seats. The screening was organised by Janus Films and Sideshow to generate interest before the limited release of the film on November 15 in New York City. But it was also intended to start the buzz among Academy members based in the city. The NeueHouse screening was attended by a few Indian-American Academy members, including publicist Gitesh Pandya and producer Shrihari Sathe. Nair is also an influential member of the Academy.

The same evening, Netflix hosted a screening of Laapataa Ladies in New York City. At the time, the film was in consideration for the Best International Feature Film award. Kiran Rao and Aamir Khan were present as was Nair, who did a Q&A with the director and producer. Nair then rushed to moderate the NeueHouse Q&A of All We Imagine as Light. She had seen Kapadia’s film earlier.

Is another nomination likely?

These special screenings by well-known filmmakers are held throughout the awards seasons. In December, Kapadia was interviewed by director Shuchi Talati (Girls Will Be Girls) after the film’s screening at Film Forum, a prime art-house theatre in New York City. Again, the Q&A was meant to create a buzz about All We Imagine as Light as the Academy members were getting set to watch the films in consideration. The film is now in its eighth week of theatrical run at Film Forum.

And earlier at the end of October, Kapadia was in Japan for the Tokyo International Film Festival when she had an in-depth conversation with the Japanese master Hirokazu Kore-eda. (Kore-eda received a Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 for Shoplifters. The next year Shoplifters received an Academy Award nomination for the Best Foreign Language Film.)

During the conversation, Kore-eda asked Kapadia her thoughts on All We Imagine as Light not being sent to the Academy Awards. Her response was measured and diplomatic. “I think with this film, it got a lot already. I’m very satisfied with how the journey of the film has gone. And it’s been really more than I expected. So everything that comes its way, it’s like a bonus for me.”

All We Imagine as Light has had a huge success in finding distribution deals in 85 countries. And according to Zico Maitra, one of the film’s producers, it has already opened in 43 countries, including just recently in the U.K., Germany and Spain. After a limited release in India, the film is also streaming on Disney+Hotstar. Kapadia wanted her film to be seen by people across the country. Hence, the screenings took place in major cities, but also those that could be described as Tier-II cities: Guwahati, Chandigarh and Kanpur. The OTT release is a part of the extra bonus Kapadia mentioned.

Voting for the Academy Awards is on from January 8 to 12, and the nominations will be announced on January 19. While no one can predict whether All We Imagine as Light will receive any nominations, this much is clear: Kapadia and her film already have a seat at the main dinner table. She will be there even after the award season has ended.

The writer is a film festival programmer and author.

content/source: thehindu.com (headline edited)

IIT-Guwahati develops advanced nanotechnology for cholesterol, triglyceride detection

The institute claims that their researchers have focused on a technique that combines nanotechnology and molecular detection, which can further be translated into a point-of-care as device with an enhanced diagnostic precision.

Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed an innovative approach to improve the detection of cholesterol and triglycerides by integrating Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) on the nanoscale objects, officials said.

The findings of the research were recently published in the noted journal –Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

According to Dipankar Bandyopadhyay, Professor at Centre for Nanotechnology and Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT-Guwahati, the work utilises bimetallic nanostructures that are 10,000 times thinner than the width of a human hair for the high-fidelity detection of the biomarkers in the human blood.

“The metabolic biomolecules like cholesterol and triglycerides play pivotal role in maintaining a harmonious cardiovascular health of a human body. The high (HDL) and low (LDL) density lipoproteins transport cholesterol to the cellular sites for various metabolic activities,” he said.

Bandyopadhyay explained an imbalance of LDL and HDL causes arterial plaque formation leading to hypertension, formation of blood clots, or ischemia.

On the other hand, triglycerides (TGA) transform into fatty acids and glycerol during digestion which in turn is packaged inside lipoproteins namely very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), for transportation to the cells. An elevated level of triglycerides leads to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, pancreatitis, type 2 diabetes, or fatty liver, he said.

“Therefore, the timely detection of any abnormality and a close monitoring of cholesterol and triglyceride levels in blood is highly sought for. While traditional lipid profile tests of blood are reliable, they often require laboratory settings, are not available as a point-of-care solution, and can take time to provide results,” he said.

IIT-Guwahati claimed that their researchers have focused on a technique that combines nanotechnology and molecular detection, which can further be translated into a point-of-care as device with an enhanced diagnostic precision.

“The researchers employ SERS active bimetallic nanostructures – the silver shelled gold nanorods, which enable a plasmonic resonance hybridisation of silver and gold to produce augmented spectral resolutions as compared to pristine silver or gold nanorods.

“Subsequently, these bimetallic nanorods are linked to two different Raman active receptors and immobilised with the enzymes cholesterol oxidase and lipase for concurrent detection of different concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides. Such innovations help in the development of a platform for the ultrafast point-of-care detection kit with a higher level of the detection sensitivity,” Bandyopadhyay said.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)


Indian-origin tech firms corner 1/5th of H1B visas issued by U.S.

Out of these, Infosys took the lead with 8,140 beneficiaries, followed by TCS (5,274), and HCL America (2,953).

Indian-origin tech companies cornered a fifth of all H1B visas issued by the U.S. with Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services leading the pack, an analysis of data from the US immigration department showed.

According to data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in April-September 2024 period, out of the total 1.3 lakh H1B visas issued to different employers, about 24,766 visas were issued to Indian-origin companies.

Out of these, Infosys took the lead with 8,140 beneficiaries, followed by TCS (5,274), and HCL America (2,953).

Infosys came second to only Amazon Com Services LLC, which topped with 9,265 visas.

Cognizant, which was founded in Chennai but now has headquarters in New Jersey, ranked third in the list with 6,321 visas.

The H1B visa programme allows U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations. Indian companies have been significant beneficiaries of this programme, particularly in the technology sector.

Major Indian IT services firms such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro, and HCL Technologies have consistently ranked among the top employers for H1B visa holders. Wipro was lower down this time with 1,634 visa grants. Tech Mahindra stood close by, having been issued 1,199 visas.

While these companies continue to benefit from the programme, ongoing developments indicate a need for adaptation in response to regulatory changes and public sentiment. The future of the H1B visa will likely depend on balancing the needs of the US businesses for skilled labour with broader immigration policy reforms.

Elon Musk, a former H-1B visa holder whose company Tesla utilises this programme, has publicly supported the tech industry’s reliance on foreign workers.

In a post on X on December 28, Mr. Musk emphasised the importance of welcoming individuals from all backgrounds who contribute to the U.S. through hard work. He passionately advocated for preserving America as a land of freedom and opportunity.

Mr. Musk’s statement also received backing from President-elect Donald Trump whose first administration restricted the programme in 2020, arguing that it allows businesses to replace Americans with lower-paid foreign workers.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and the Bose Institute Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.

This innovative hydrogel-based therapy delivers anti-cancer drugs directly to tumour sites, reducing side effects associated with cancer treatments.

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and the Bose Institute Kolkata have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localised cancer treatment.

This innovative hydrogel-based therapy delivers anti-cancer drugs directly to tumour sites, significantly reducing side effects typically associated with conventional cancer treatments.

The findings have been published in the “Materials Horizons”, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. The paper is co-authored by Prof Debapratim Das, along with research scholars Tanushree Das and Ritvika Kushwaha from IIT Guwahati. The collaborators are Dr Kuldip Jana, Satyajit Halder and Anup Kumar Misra from the Bose Institute Kolkata.

“Cancer continues to be a pressing global health challenge, with millions of patients affected worldwide. Current treatments, such as chemotherapy and surgical interventions, often have severe limitations. Surgical removal of tumors is sometimes not feasible, particularly for internal organs, while chemotherapy’s systemic delivery often results in harmful side effects by affecting both cancerous and healthy cells,” the IIT Guwahati said in a statement.

Prof Das from the Department of Chemistry and his team addressed these challenges by designing a hydrogel that delivers drugs precisely to the tumour site, ensuring localised action.

Hydrogels are water-based, three-dimensional polymer networks capable of absorbing and retaining fluids. Their unique structure mimics living tissues, making them suitable for biomedical applications. This newly developed hydrogel acts as a stable reservoir for anti-cancer drugs and releases them in a controlled manner, responding to specific conditions in the tumour microenvironment.

The hydrogel, composed of ultra-short peptides – biocompatible and biodegradable building blocks of proteins – is designed to remain insoluble in biological fluids, ensuring it stays localized at the injection site. It responds to elevated glutathione (GSH) levels, a molecule abundant in tumour cells. Upon encountering high GSH levels, the hydrogel triggers a controlled drug release directly into the tumour, minimizing its interaction with healthy tissues and reducing systemic side effects.

Speaking about the breakthrough, Prof Das said, “This work exemplifies how scientific innovation can directly address the pressing needs of cancer treatment. The hydrogel’s unique properties allow it to work in harmony with the biological environment, offering precision where it is needed most. We are excited by its potential to transform our thoughts about localized drug delivery.”

In pre-clinical trials on a murine model of breast cancer, the hydrogel showcased remarkable efficacy. A single injection of the hydrogel, loaded with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, resulted in a 75% reduction in tumour size within 18 days. Crucially, the hydrogel remained localized at the tumour site, steadily releasing the drug over time without causing detectable side effects on other organs, the IIT Guwahati said.

“This innovative delivery system enhances the drug’s effectiveness while reducing the required dosage, thus minimizing toxicity. Laboratory studies further demonstrated that the hydrogel improves drug uptake by cancer cells, induces cell cycle arrest, and promotes programmed cell death, thereby attacking tumours on multiple fronts,” the institute further stated.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)


‘First ever’ glass bridge opened in India’s southernmost tip | Key details

Glass bridge connecting Vivekananda memorial, Thiruvalluvar statue inaugurated in Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday inaugurated a glass bridge connecting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-feet Thiruvalluvar statue in the Kanyakumari district.

The structure claimed to be the first such one in India, was inaugurated to mark the silver jubilee of the unveiling of the renowned Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s statue by late chief minister M Karunanidhi.

The glass bridge connecting the two monuments offers visitors a breathtaking view of the sea. “It provides a thrilling experience of walking above the sea,” a tourist official told news agency PTI.

Key details about Kanyakumari glass bridge

The glass bridge is 77-meter-long, 10-metre wide and 133-feet high.

According to the state government, the bowstring arch on the glass bridge has been designed to withstand the saline breeze from the sea and high humidity.

Tourists who used to travel between the two historical monuments on a ferry can now walk over the glass bridge and reach the other end quickly.

Politics over glass bridge

After the inauguration, Stalin walked over the bridge accompanied by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, state ministers, MP Kanimozhi, and senior officials. A laser light show was held at the Thiruvalluvar statue.

Stalin hailed the legacy of the Tamil poet and announced that last week of every December will be celebrated as “Thrirukkural week” to spread the poet’s teaching in his renowned work “Thirukkural”.

Meanwhile, opposition AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the project was sanctioned and granted environmental clearance during his tenure as the chief minister.

“Chief Minister M K Stalin who inaugurated the glass bridge in Kanyakumari on Monday evening did not bring the project. It was brought during the AIADMK regime when I was the Chief Minister,” Palaniswami told reporters here.

“Since Kanyakumari is a very popular tourist destination, I requested (union shipping minister) that a bridge be built to link Thiruvalluvar statue with the Vivekananda Rock Memorial,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal,Gujarat crucial to make India leading maritime nation: Sonowal

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said the ₹4,300-crore National Maritime Heritage Complex being developed at Lothal in Gujarat is a project of national importance and will be a crucial step towards making India a leading maritime nation.

Sonowal, who is Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister, reviewed the progress of the NMHC project along with Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, T K Ramachandran, said, “The phase 1-A of the project, coming up with an estimated cost of ₹1,200 crore, is expected to get over by August, 2025, with 65 per cent of its construction completed.” The entire project, being executed in two phases, is expected to be completed by 2028, he said.

Work on phase 1-A of the project, comprising six galleries, jetty walkway, Lothal town, etc, started in March 2022, before the Union Cabinet approved it in October 2024.

Apart from 14 galleries in phase 1 , phase 2 will have conceptualisation of Lothal city as it existed in ancient times, surrounded by the pavilions showcasing the maritime heritage of coastal states in their individual pavillions, he said. “We are planning for the inauguration of the Phase 1-A of the project by August-September 2025, and the aim is to complete the entire project by 2028. We have completed 65 per cent of the work under phase 1-A,” he said.

The Union ministers toured key project landmarks, including INS Nishank, the Lothal Jetty Walkway and the Museum Block, and interacted with workers at the site to know their challenges and work progress.

Sonowal expressed satisfaction with the significant milestones achieved in civil infrastructure development, noting that the project is advancing on schedule, an official release said.

He said the government is committed to ensuring that the NMHC is completed on time and is of highest standards.

“This project will boost tourism, provide a platform for maritime education, and foster collaboration between India’s maritime community and the global industry. It is a crucial step toward making India a leading maritime nation,” the release quoted him as saying. “The NMHC is a project of national importance, offering tremendous opportunities for growth and learning in the maritime sector.

The visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji has ensured that India remains on course towards all round development of the country and that the people reap the fruit of India’s developmental story,” Sonowal said.

The project will boost tourism, provide a platform for maritime education, and foster greater collaboration between India’s maritime community and the global maritime industry, he added.

The release said this world-class facility will showcase India’s maritime heritage from ancient to modern times, adopting an innovative “edutainment” approach using cutting-edge technology to spread awareness and attract international tourists. Lothal, located some 80 km away from Ahmedabad, was a prominent city of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation dating back to 2400 BCE.

It holds historical significance for its advanced dockyard, thriving trade and renowned bead-making industry. Artefacts such as seals, tools, and pottery unearthed by archaeologists reveal a rich cultural and economic history, making it a key Harappan site.

Designed as a world-class destination under the Sagarmala Programme of the Union government, the NMHC aims to showcase India’s naval achievements and cultural connections through interactive exhibits, state-of-the-art displays and engaging storytelling.

This initiative is poised to not only preserve India’s maritime heritage but also to attract global tourists and foster a deeper appreciation of its historical significance, the release said. “The idea is to generate a movement regarding knowledge about our heritage.

We are also looking at tourism with the development of several tourist circuits, and nearby heritage sites, oceanic, cruise and coastal tourism will be connected to this.

We hope that in the years to come, this will be one of the biggest complexes in the world,” Ramachandran said.

The ministry has also planned collaboration with 25 countries and signed MoUs with countries such as Portugal, UAE and Vietnam for the project, officials said.

Phase 1-B of the project will have eight galleries, a lighthouse museum, a ‘Bagicha complex’, and a 5D dome theatre. Museutel , eco resort, coastal state pavilion, Lothal city, theme-based parks and maritime research institute and hotel are highlights of phase 2 project.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)