Author: Sharad Natani
For millions of taxpayers across India, the long wait for income tax refunds has become a growing concern this year. Even individuals who filed their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) correctly and on time are still checking the portal repeatedly, wondering why their refunds are stuck. Tax experts say this delay is not due to a single issue but a combination of systemic changes and procedural checks introduced by the Income Tax Department. Automation and Data Matching Tighten the Net One of the biggest reasons behind the delay is enhanced automation in the income tax system. This year, returns are being…
Elon Musk has entered uncharted territory in global wealth rankings. The world’s richest entrepreneur has seen his personal fortune surge past $600 billion, reaching an estimated $638 billion, after a sharp revaluation of his private space company, SpaceX, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The dramatic rise follows a recent insider share sale that values SpaceX at nearly $800 billion, making it the most valuable private company in the world—a distinction no unlisted firm has ever held at such scale. The transaction has fundamentally reshaped Musk’s wealth profile, placing SpaceX firmly at the centre of his financial empire. SpaceX Emerges…
In a landmark shift that could redefine India’s clean energy future, the Union Cabinet has approved the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, paving the way for private sector participation in India’s civil nuclear power programme for the first time in decades. The Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament during the final week of the Winter Session. The proposed legislation aligns with the Modi government’s long-term vision of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, a critical pillar of India’s strategy to meet rising energy demand while reducing carbon…
Dr Anjali Garg’s journey into the Indian Administrative Service is not a story of inherited ambition or early fascination with power and policy. Instead, it is a thoughtfully evolved transition—from hospital wards to the corridors of governance—driven by lived experience, empathy, and a desire to create impact at scale. Born and raised in Chandigarh in a business family, Dr Garg had no immediate exposure to civil services while growing up. Education, however, was always a priority. Encouraged by her parents to pursue medicine, she worked with focus and discipline, securing high ranks in competitive exams such as AIIMS and NEET…
The Union Government has introduced the Viksit Bharat Education Institution Bill, 2025, a landmark legislation aimed at overhauling India’s higher education system and aligning it with the vision of a developed India (Viksit Bharat). Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tabled the Bill in the Lok Sabha, and the government has agreed to send it to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination. The proposed law seeks to grant greater autonomy to universities while simultaneously strengthening accountability, transparency, and academic standards across the country’s higher education ecosystem. One Apex Commission, Three Dedicated Councils At the heart of the Bill is…
Indian-origin cancer researcher Dr. Raghuraman Kannan has been selected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), one of the highest recognitions for academic innovators in the United States. The honour places him among the most influential inventors whose work has made a tangible impact on society, healthcare, and economic growth. The University of Missouri announced that Dr. Kannan is one of only two professors from the institution selected for the NAI Fellows Class of 2025. The other honouree is Professor Henry Nguyen, a globally respected expert in plant genetics and biotechnology. The NAI Fellowship is awarded to…