This is the second such deep-sea diving vessel commissioned into the Indian Navy after INS Nistar last year.

The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned INS Nipun, a deep-sea diving vessel to support complex operations, marking a significant enhancement in underwater support capabilities that only a few navies have, officials said.

This is the second such deep-sea diving vessel commissioned into the Indian Navy after INS Nistar last year.

INS Nipun was commissioned in the presence of Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan in Mumbai.

Along with her sister ship INS Nistar, INS Nipun substantially enhances the Navy’s specialist diving, underwater intervention, salvage and submarine rescue support capability, officials said.

It brings together a range of capabilities possessed by only a handful of navies, which includes the ability to embark the Indian Navy’s deep submergence rescue vessel, Admiral Swaminathan said after the commissioning of INS Nipun.

The ship has the capacity to support diving operations up to 300 metres. It also has the capability of providing rapid submarine rescue. It can also be deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian operations, the Navy said.

Indigenously designed and constructed by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, the vessel is 119.4 metres long with a capacity of 10,500 tonnes.

INS Nipun is a purpose-built platform designed primarily for deep-sea diving and underwater operations. The ship is capable of supporting saturation, air and heliox diving and is equipped with remotely operated underwater systems for inspection and intervention. Its specialised diving complex, dynamic positioning capability and associated life-support and medical facilities enable the conduct of sustained and complex operations at sea, the Navy said.

The ship is also capable of supporting submarine rescue operations, further strengthening the Indian Navy’s ability to respond to underwater contingencies.

Its crest and motto embody the spirit of its specialised role and the men who venture into the depths. The motto, ‘Far Beneath, Few Beyond’, reflects the resolve, skill and endurance required to operate in one of the most challenging domains of the maritime environment, the Navy said.

“Nipun adds specialised capability to support complex underwater operations and respond to emergencies in one of the most demanding and mysterious environments known to the world,” Admiral Swaminathan said.

Submarine rescue, in particular, is a discipline where preparedness admits little margin for delay.

“Nipun’s ability to embark and operate the Indian Navy’s deep submergence rescue vessel significantly enhances our capacity to respond to a distressed submarine quite significantly – whether our own, or that of a partner Navy.

This capability would also enable India to support submarine rescue and emerge as the ‘Preferred Submarine Rescue Partner’ in the region,” the Navy chief said.

In addition, INS Nipun’s specialised diving capabilities can support partner nations in underwater salvage and HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) missions, adding another dimension to the Navy’s maritime cooperation efforts.

“Commissioning a platform is only one part of capability creation. The real measure of induction is how rapidly and effectively we can convert a new platform into operational capability,” Admiral Swaminathan said.

Nipun’s journey from design to commissioning reflects the seamless synergy between the Indian Navy, Hindustan Shipyard and our vibrant network of domestic industrial partners.

The successful completion of sea trials and proving of role-worthiness of all diving systems and ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) in a single sortie are a testament to the professionalism and technical confidence that have gone into the vessel’s construction, he added.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

The International Centre for Theoretical Sciences on Monday (August 10, 2026) said that its professor Deepak Dhar has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal, recognising his contributions to statistical mechanics and complex systems.

Prof. Dhar, who is an Indian National Science Academy (INSA) distinguished professor at ICTS, shares the honour with three other stalwarts of statistical mechanics — Bernard Derrida, Marc Mezard and Haim Sompolinsky — the Institute said in a post on its website.

According to the ICTS, the award recognises the four scientists “for their pioneering contributions to equilibrium statistical mechanics and for extending its concepts and methods into non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, optimization problems, theoretical neuroscience, and, finally, artificial intelligence”.

The Dirac Medal is awarded annually by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in honour of physicist Paul Dirac.

ICTP Director Atish Dabholkar commented, “The work of the 2026 Dirac Medallists has contributed to establishing theoretical physics, and particularly statistical mechanics, as a powerful framework to tackle a very broad range of questions that go far beyond its traditional domain of interest to encompass biology, computer science and artificial intelligence.”

Describing Prof. Dhar’s contributions, the award said, “Deepak Dhar showed how simple interactions can lead to complex and sometimes unpredictable behaviour in large systems.

“Through his pioneering work on the sandpile model, for example, he described a familiar phenomenon: as grains are added to a sandpile, most result in no change or only small avalanches, while occasionally a single grain can cause a much larger collapse.

“The theory shows that the sandpile, like many other complex systems, spontaneously places itself in a critical regime where small effects can sometimes trigger large abrupt events and has been used to model systems as apparently different as earthquakes, traffic jams and fluctuations in financial markets,” it said.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

While several countries, including the US and China, have pledged support, India stands out for the speed of its aid delivery to Nepal.

At around 8:35pm on Wednesday, an Air Force C-130J aircraft took off from India carrying 10 tonnes of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance to Nepal, less than 12 hours after the ecologically fragile Himalayan nation was hit by a deadly flash flood. The first consignment reached Kathmandu that night.

The prompt response reinforces India’s position as a “first responder”, as New Delhi moved quickly to physically deliver relief to its Himalayan neighbour even as several other countries and international organisations, including China and the United States, were still mobilising assistance.

India’s swift action also fits into a broader pattern of the country’s growing humanitarian and disaster-relief efforts—from Covid-19 vaccines supplied to countries in Africa and elsewhere to relief and rescue operations in earthquake-hit Turkiye and Syria in 2023, disaster-hit Myanmar in 2024, cyclone-hit Sri Lanka in 2025, and earthquake-hit Venezuela in 2026, among others.

On Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah, conveyed his condolences, and said India was ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance. He also said Indian teams were coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts.

As the first aircraft was dispatched, foreign minister S Jaishankar said on X that India had sent 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, adding that “India stands with Nepal and its people”.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

‘To our knowledge, (this) is the oldest directly dated rock with a confirmed biosignature,’ say the authors.

Researchers say they have found “compelling evidence” from multiple sources that microbial life existed in what is now eastern India at least 3.5 billion years ago. Typically these involve finding fossils or traces of organic chemicals but in this case they rely on converging chemical clues, according to a paper that appeared in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The source of their discovery is a single carbon-bearing rock in the Singhbhum Craton, which is an ancient, stable block of continental crust in eastern India, spanning parts of Jharkhand and Odisha. It has long interested geologists because it holds some of the oldest rocks in India, recording crust that formed more than 4 billion years ago.

“To our knowledge, (this) is the oldest directly dated rock with a confirmed biosignature,” say the authors, who include Trisrota Chaudhuri, of the Geological Survey of India, Kolkata, and Mark Harrison, of the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles.

The rock — a “black-and-white” banded chert from Bhitardari — pairs a firm age with several independent chemical and structural signs that its carbon was made by living organisms. Chert is a hard, fine-grained rock made largely of silica that can preserve organic matter for billions of years, but cannot be dated directly. So the researchers extracted zircons — hardy crystals that act like natural clocks as they trap uranium that decays to lead at a known rate. Of eight zircons analysed, four indicated an age of 3,497 million years. Because those zircons appear to be volcanic ash that settled as the chert formed, the team took that to be the rock’s age, too.

They then argued the carbon was biological. Its balance of carbon isotopes matches carbon captured by living cells. They also found the material was degraded organic matter rather than later inorganic contamination.

Scientists bother with such questions because the earth formed about 4.54 billion years ago, so a 3.5-billion-year-old trace of life comes from only about a billion years after the planet’s birth and may open new hypotheses on evolution. If microbes were already established, life itself must have begun earlier still. That bears on whether life is a freak accident or something that emerges readily on habitable worlds.

Older claims exist, including graphite in 3.7-to-3.8-billion-year-old Greenland rocks, but several have been disputed. The authors caution that their own case rests on chemistry and geological context.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The champions earned 125 ranking points along with a $9,900 prize, while the runners-up received 75 points and $5,760.

N. Sriram Balaji and Anirud Chandrasekar were crowned champions of the second edition of the Cancun Country Open after defeating the Mexican-Belarusian pairing of Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela and Ivan Liutarevich 6-3, 7-6(4) in the final.

Fine margins proved decisive in the defeat of Reyes-Varela and Liutarevich, who conceded just one break of serve throughout the match but were unable to convert their only break-point opportunity, as per the Cancun Country Open website.

The Cancun title is Chandrasekar’s 11th on the circuit and his second of the year. Earlier this season, he won the Busan ATP Challenger 125 alongside Japanese partner Takeru Yuzuki.

This is Balaji’s fifth Challenger title of the year, with his previous four victories coming alongside Neil Oberleitner. The triumph also marks his 15th career title on the Challenger circuit.

The Indian pair produced a solid performance, but Reyes-Varela and Liutarevich matched them closely for much of the opening set.

The decisive moment came in the eighth game, when Balaji and Chandrasekar secured the only break of serve to take control and eventually close out the set 6-3.

They won 68% of points behind their first serve and an impressive 81% behind their second.

The champions earned 125 ranking points along with a $9,900 prize, while the runners-up received 75 points and $5,760.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved the transfer of DRDO-developed technologies of all conventional missile systems to the Indian defence industry for production within the country.

The defence ministry, making the announcement, said the move is an “important milestone” in promoting greater participation of the domestic industries in the defence ecosystem.

“The provision will enable successful transition of missile system development to industrial production, reflecting the continued efforts of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to leverage the capabilities of the Indian industry for the development and manufacture of advanced defence systems,” the ministry said.

It said the objective is to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the defence industrial base and create opportunities for the participation of Indian MSMEs and other technology partners in the supply chain.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh has approved the transfer of DRDO-developed technologies of all conventional missile systems to the Indian defence industry for production within the country.

The defence ministry, making the announcement, said the move is an “important milestone” in promoting greater participation of the domestic industries in the defence ecosystem.

“The provision will enable successful transition of missile system development to industrial production, reflecting the continued efforts of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to leverage the capabilities of the Indian industry for the development and manufacture of advanced defence systems,” the ministry said.

It said the objective is to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities, strengthen the defence industrial base and create opportunities for the participation of Indian MSMEs and other technology partners in the supply chain.

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)

At the age of 17, Kezia won the Miss Teen Diva 2024 title and went on to become the first runner-up while representing India at Miss Teen International 2025.

 At the grand finale of Miss Universe India 2026, held in Jaipur on Sunday, 52 contestants from across the country showcased their beauty, talent, and confidence.

However, it was 19-year-old Kezia Liz Mejo from Kerala who won the judges’ hearts with her intelligence and stage presence. She was crowned by Miss Universe India 2025, Manika Vishwakarma.

Vaishnavi Ganesh from Tamil Nadu finished as the first runner-up, while Anushree Satavalekar from Gujarat was named the second runner-up. Kezia will now represent India on the international stage at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico later this year, where contestants from countries around the world will compete for the coveted title.

Overcome with emotion after her victory in Jaipur, Kezia said the moment was incredibly special for her, as she had been working towards this goal for the past three years. Expressing her happiness, she said she was excited to take the prestigious crown back to her home state of Kerala and represent India on the global stage.

The event was judged by a distinguished panel that included Bollywood actress and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, two-time Miss Universe India titleholder Urvashi Rautela, former Miss Universe first runner-up Celina Jaitly, film producer and environmentalist Pragya Kapoor, and Miss Universe India owner Nikhil Anand. Miss Universe India 2024, Rhea Singha, was also present at the event.

Born in 2007, Kezia is just 19 years old. Originally from Mavelikara in Kerala, she is currently pursuing a degree in Law (Honours). She is the first woman from Kerala to win the national title of Miss Universe India.

Although originally from Kerala, Kezia was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She has undergone 12 years of formal training in classical dance and is also a singer who is proficient in playing the violin and drums. Beyond modelling and public speaking, Kezia is also an actress. She made her debut in Malayalam cinema with superstar Mammootty’s film Shylock.

Kezia has already made her mark in the pageant industry. At the age of 17, she won the Miss Teen Diva 2024 title and went on to become the first runner-up while representing India at Miss Teen International 2025. Earlier this year, she won the Miss Universe Kerala 2026 title, becoming the youngest state titleholder in the pageant’s history.

Following the grand finale in Jaipur, all eyes are now on the international Miss Universe competition, which is scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico this November.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

The health ministry has restricted all FDCs containing chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride for children under four, citing safety concerns.

The Union ministry of health and family welfare on Saturday announced that it has banned Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) containing chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride for use in children below four years of age.

“In a significant step to safeguard the health and safety of young children, the government has imposed restrictions on the manufacture, sale and distribution of all fixed dose combinations (FDCs) containing Chlorpheniramine Maleate and Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, mandating a clear warning that these medicines shall not be used in children below four years of age,” the health ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The modification in rules has been notified in the Gazette.

Chlorpheniramine is a histamine-H1 receptor antagonist indicated for the management of symptoms associated with upper respiratory allergies.

Phenylephrine is used as a nasal decongestant to temporarily unblock a nose or relieve sinus pressure in people with nasal and sinus congestion caused by colds or allergies.

Earlier, the Centre had restricted certain FDCs containing chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride, subject to the same age-specific warning. The latest notification extends this requirement to all formulations containing these two ingredients.

The decision has been taken following the recommendations of an expert committee and the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB).

According to the statement, experts in the department noted that the use of such combinations may pose risks to children below four years of age and that safer alternatives are available.

“Manufacturers have been directed to clearly display the warning, “Fixed Dose Combination shall not be used in children below four years of age,” on the label, package insert and promotional literature associated with these formulations,” read the health ministry statement.

“The notification has been issued under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in the interest of public health and is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette,” it added.

In June, the government banned 16 fixed-dose combinations, including skin medications, painkillers and muscle relaxants, that it felt had limited therapeutic use.

FDC drugs are those that contain a combination of two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients in a fixed ratio and are also referred to as “cocktail” drugs.

The health ministry has been trying to phase out from the market those fixed-dose combinations that pose a risk to human beings and for which better and safer alternatives are available in the market.

The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), which advises the ministry’s drugs regulatory authority—the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)—constitutes an expert committee to examine various FDCs and identify those that are “irrational, lack therapeutic justification or may pose risks to human health.”

Based on the scientific assessment and recommendations of the expert committee, the government then takes action.

The government in 2016 announced a ban on 344 FDCs following recommendations from an expert panel.

Between 2023 and 2025, a total of 205 FDCs were banned as part of the exercise to phase out unapproved fixed-dose combination drugs from the Indian market. Many of the FDCs banned over the years were also among those 344 drug combinations.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)