Author: Sharad Natani
India is all set to play host to the prestigious FIDE Chess World Cup 2025, marking another major milestone in the nation’s emergence as a global chess powerhouse. Scheduled from October 30 to November 27, the tournament will feature 206 of the world’s best players vying for a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament—the final battleground to determine the next challenger for the World Chess Championship crown. India: The New Global Hub for Chess Following the success of hosting the Chess Olympiad 2022, Tata Steel Chess India, the 2024 World Junior U20 Championships, and the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, this…
As India’s OTT (over-the-top) landscape continues to evolve, a significant shift is underway—streaming platforms are moving away from dark, edgy thrillers to heartwarming family dramas and relatable small-town stories. From Gritty Thrillers to Feel-Good Entertainment For years, streaming giants captivated urban viewers with intense Action, Crime, and Thriller (ACT) content. But saturation has set in, and now, platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema, SonyLIV, and ZEE5 are pivoting toward content that resonates with audiences in tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Why the change? As more Indian households adopt connected TVs, content is no longer viewed solo on mobile devices. Families…
In a groundbreaking discovery for ornithologists and nature lovers, the elusive Large-billed Leaf Warbler has been officially spotted in the wild terrains of Ladakh — a first-ever documented sighting in this high-altitude region of India. The tiny, olive-green bird, known for its sharp call and shy nature, was photographed and identified by a team of birdwatchers during a recent field survey near Tso Moriri Lake, a protected wetland zone. Experts say this sighting is not just rare, but a significant extension of the warbler’s known migratory range, which was previously confined to parts of Central Asia and the Himalayas. A…
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has intensified its commitment to maintaining the integrity and accuracy of India’s digital identity ecosystem. By taking proactive steps to deactivate Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals, UIDAI is setting a new benchmark in data hygiene and security. UIDAI, in collaboration with the Registrar General of India (RGI), has already accessed 1.55 crore death records from 24 States/UTs under the Civil Registration System. Following stringent validation procedures, over 1.17 crore Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals have already been deactivated — a massive step towards curbing identity misuse and digital fraud. Reporting Deaths Now Just…
In a major push to take digital transformation deeper into rural India, the Government of India announced free Artificial Intelligence (AI) training for 10 lakh citizens, with priority given to Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs). The announcement was made during the celebration of 10 Years of Digital India and CSC Diwas at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre, Dwarka. The event, hosted by CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), witnessed participation from key dignitaries including Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of State Shri Jitin Prasada. “Tea Sellers and Farmers Using UPI—This…
In a groundbreaking feat of medical excellence, a team of doctors at BM Birla Heart Hospital, Kolkata, has performed a rare heart surgery on a six-month-old baby girl—earning them a prestigious place in the World Journal of Paediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery. Born with a rare congenital heart defect known as left main coronary artery stenosis, the baby struggled with severe breathing issues, poor feeding, and extreme fatigue. Her heart was functioning at just 20% capacity—a life-threatening condition requiring urgent intervention. But what makes this case exceptional is the surgical technique: doctors opted for Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG)—a…