Here’s the full list of Indian medallists at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 categorised by sport.

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are underway in Japan. With 12 medals (1 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze), India is currently placed in 12th place in the medal tally which is topped by China.

Jay Meena secured India’s first-ever soft tennis medal at the Asian Games, fetching a bronze after losing to Japan’s Takuya Kurosaka in the men’s singles semifinals. Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu completed her medal collection, winning a silver medal in the women’s 49kg event in the Asian Games.

Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty faltered against higher-ranked opponents as the Indian men’s team concluded with a bronze medal after losing 1-3 to their rivals, China, in the semifinals.

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team clinched a historic victory at the Karogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Aichi. Facing off against Sri Lanka in a high-stakes final, the Women in Blue triumphed to secure India’s very first gold medal of the tournament.

Meanwhile, shooters have led the charge for India. The women’s skeet team, comprising Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan and Parinaaz Dhaliwal, won a bronze with a combined score of 331 here on September 23, 2026.

Experienced rifle shooter Elavenil Valarivan played a starring role in the country’s double-silver haul in the women’s 10m air rifle competition. Elavenil, one of India’s most accomplished rifle shooters, helped the country secure silver in the team event along with Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod. She then went on to add an individual silver.

For the men’s side, teenager Himanshu Dhillon produced a superb performance to win silver, while former world champion Rudrankksh Patil clinched bronze as India secured two individual podium finishes in the men’s 10m air rifle event. The two then teamed up with Parth Mane to win another silver in the team event, finishing just behind China.

After an impressive start in shooting, India also managed to script history in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), with Suchika Tariyal winning the nation’s first-ever bronze medal for MMA at the Asian Games.

A contingent of 501 Indian athletes, comprising 267 men and 234 women, is competing across 36 disciplines in the 2026 edition. Apart from shooting, athletics and archery too are expected to add to the medal tally. India is also defending both the men’s and women’s titles in cricket and kabaddi.

Here’s the full list of Team India’s medal winners at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

Indian medallists — Full list of winners

Shooting

Elavenil Valarivan — Women’s 10m Air Rifle (Individual) – Silver

Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, Vidarsa Vinod — Women’s 10m Air Rifle (Team) – Silver

Himanshu Dhillon — Men’s 10m Air Rifle (Individual) – Silver

Rudrankksh Patil, Himanshu Dhillon, Parth Mane — Men’s 10m Air Rifle (Team) – Silver

Rudrankksh Patil — Men’s 10m Air Rifle (Individua) – Bronze

Raiza Dhillon, Maheshwari Chauhan and Parinaaz Dhaliwal – Women’s skeet team – Bronze

Mixed Martial Arts

Suchika Tariyal — Women’s Traditional MMA (60kg) – Bronze

Cricket

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry, Anusha Bareddy, Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya — Women’s T20 Tournament – Gold

Weightlifting

Mirabai Chanu — Women’s weightlifting (49 kg) – Silver

Soft tennis

Jay Meena — Soft tennis (men’s singles) – Bronze

Badminton

Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, HS Prannoy, Kidambi Srikanth, Tharun Mannepalli, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Hariharan Amsakarunan, MR Arjun, Dhruv Kapila — Men’s Badminton Team – Bronze

(With inputs from PTI)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The Visegrad Group (V4) is a cultural and political alliance of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia that aims at advancing co-operation in military, economic, cultural and energy affairs.

India and the four-member Visegrad group of Central European countries on Monday (September 21, 2026) agreed to step up political, economic and defence cooperation at their first Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described as a “new historic occasion”.

The Visegrad Group (V4) is a cultural and political alliance of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia that aims to advance cooperation in military, economic, cultural, and energy affairs.

The first meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Group and India was held on Monday (September 21, 2026), on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.

Mr Jaishankar met with Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radek Sikorski; Hungary’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Anita Orban; Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Juraj Blanar; and the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Petr Macinka.

“It was, in a sense, a new historic occasion,” Mr. Jaishankar said in remarks after the meeting.

“It was a very, very productive meeting. What we agreed was that since India’s relationship with the European Union itself is deepening, with the V4 we would take some special initiatives to create an annual business forum,” he said, adding that there was “consensus” that the Foreign Ministers of the five nations in the group would meet annually.

“We would also explore technology and innovation whether we could be doing more. We have a very strong history with all the V4 countries in defence. We want to refresh and take forward that record and that cooperation,” Mr. Jaishankar said.

Mr. Jaishankar said the meeting was “very worthwhile” and “very productive”, with discussions focusing on cooperation as well as major global crises, including the Ukraine conflict and developments in the Gulf.

“It was really a very, very worthwhile, very productive meeting. I’m very pleased about it,” he said in remarks to reporters after the meeting.

In a post on X, Mr. Jaishankar said the first meeting in the V4+India format agreed to closer political cooperation, including annual meetings of foreign ministers, and deeper economic cooperation, including the Annual Business Forum.

Delighted to join the Visegrád Group DPM & FM @radeksikorski #Poland DPM & FM @_OrbanAnita #Hungary FM Juraj Blanár #Slovakia and FM @petr_macinka #Czechia on the sidelines of #UNGA81. Our first meeting in the V4+India format agreed to:

✅ Closer political cooperation including… pic.twitter.com/mBqMTkC6QN

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 21, 2026

The countries also agreed to strengthen technology, innovation, research and education partnerships; reinvigorate defence cooperation; further develop cultural cooperation and people-to-people relations and work together to support multilateralism, he said.

Mr. Jaishankar also said that India has “very good” relations with the V4 countries.

“These are countries with a very strong, very distinctive capability. These are industrial economies, economies with great innovation and technology talent, and I think how the V4 come together is for them to decide. But we certainly welcome the opportunity to work with the V4 together,” he told reporters.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Ahead of the Asian Games, research highlights how an everyday means of transport became a vehicle for political education and anti-colonial expression.

Ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, research from the University of Glasgow has explored how two pioneering Indian cyclists used extraordinary journeys around the world to challenge colonial perceptions of India almost a century ago.

Bengali cyclists Bimal Mukherjee and Ramnath Biswas undertook extensive cycling journeys across several continents during the 1920s and ’30s, when India remained under British rule.

Their journeys demonstrated remarkable endurance and resourcefulness, challenging colonial stereotypes about Indian identity and physical ability.

Their experiences, recorded in travelogues that have received relatively little scholarly attention, reveal how encounters with different people, cultures and political movements shaped their thinking about Indian independence, socialism and pan-Asian solidarity.

The study, by Souvik Naha, senior lecturer in Imperial and Post-colonial History at the University of Glasgow, argues that cycling brought the men into close contact with many people, allowing them to experience different societies and political systems first-hand.

Mukherjee travelled the world from 1926 to 1937. Along the way, he earned money and passage through jobs including photography, sailing, fishing, dairy farming and teaching, as well as giving talks about his travels.

His travelogue features prominent cultural, political and intellectual figures, including Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, Marie Curie, Anna Pavlova, Uday Shankar, Albert Schweitzer and Jean Sibelius.

Before he began the first of three major journeys in 1931, Biswas was working as a clerk at Singapore port, who was associated with the anti-colonial revolutionary movement. He wrote extensively about his experiences, using what he encountered overseas to reflect on imperialism, capitalism, race and struggles for political freedom.

Naha said: “The Asian Games offer an opportunity to reflect on a remarkable, often overlooked chapter in India’s cycling history.

“Almost a century ago, Mukherjee and Biswas used the bicycle not only to test the limits of physical endurance, but also to challenge colonial assumptions about Indian identity and ability.

“Cycling gave them a distinctive way of encountering the world. Unlike travelling by train or car, cycling put the traveller in much more direct contact with the landscape and local people. A cyclist moved relatively slowly, could choose their own route and pace and stop wherever they wished, and notice details that passengers in faster or more elite forms of transport might miss. In this sense, cycling could make travel feel more personal and self-directed.

“They met people and experienced social conditions and political movements that influenced their understanding of colonialism and India’s place in the world. Their writings show how anti-colonial thought could develop beyond established political institutions, through everyday encounters and experiences.”

The research highlights how an everyday means of transport became a vehicle for political education and anti-colonial expression. It offers a historical perspective on India’s cycling heritage ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, taking place from September 19 to October 4.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

Nila Vikhe Patil is the granddaughter of former Union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil.

Green Party leader Nila Vikhe Patil, niece of Maharashtra BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, has been elected to Sweden’s Parliament from the Stockholm City constituency.

The 41-year-old Green Party politician was elected in Sweden’s national election held on September 13. She will be among the 349 members of the Riksdag, Sweden’s Parliament.

“It feels nice to be a part of the 349-member Parliament. I am looking forward to contributing to the city and the country,” Nila was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. She said she wanted to represent people who could not vote and work towards creating better opportunities for children.

“I would like to be voice for those who cannot vote. I want to contribute to a society where every child gets a chance for a good future. We need a habitable planet with clean water, living nature and as few human-caused natural disasters as possible,” she added.

Who is Nila Vikhe Patil?

Nila Vikhe Patil was born in Sweden and spent her early years in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar. She is the daughter of educationist Ashok Vikhe Patil, chairman of the Vikhe Patil Foundation, which runs educational institutions across Maharashtra.

She is the granddaughter of former Union minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil and the great-granddaughter of Vithalrao Vikhe Patil, who founded Asia’s first cooperative sugar factory.

Recalling her grandfather, Nila said she hoped her election would make him proud. “I hope to make my grandfather proud. He made me read the state budget when I was 15,” she said.

Nila also spoke about her continuing connection with India. “I love India dearly and I feel very connected. I have lots of close Indian friends. I miss my grandfather a lot. He used to call me almost weekly during his last years,” she said.

Nila holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the Gothenburg School of Business, where she studied economics and law. She also studied at the Complutense University of Madrid in Spain.

Nila’s political career in Sweden

Nila has been active in Swedish politics for about 25 years and is associated with the Green Party. She served as a political adviser in the Swedish prime minister’s office during Stefan Lofven’s administration. She worked on finance, taxation and housing.

She later served on the Stockholm City Council and has held several positions within the Green Party and its youth organisations. She is also a member of the Stockholm Green Party’s election committee.

Nila has worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) since 2020. She became an authorised public accountant in April 2025.

Sweden election results

Sweden held its parliamentary election on September 13. The four opposition parties — the Social Democrats, Left Party, Centre Party and Green Party — won 176 seats in the 349-member Riksdag. The four parties that formed or supported the outgoing conservative-led government secured 173 seats.

The Social Democrats were the largest party with 99 seats. The election result gave the opposition bloc a narrow majority in Parliament.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

In Mammals of India, wildlife biologists AJT Johnsingh and PO Nameer follow the forest trails of India to put the spotlight on over 450 such species in the country.

At first sight, Mammals of India may seem unwieldy and daunting for a wildlife guide. Running over 800-pages long, it informs us that it covers information on 454 mammalian species found in India. However, the fluid design, distribution maps and illustrations ensure that it will not only appeal to the field researcher with miles of forest trail under their belt but also curious school children.

Capturing the mammalian diversity of India, with every minute detail of their food, habitat and anatomy is no mean task. But the late renowned wildlife biologist Asir Jawahar Thomas, or AJT Johnsingh, who passed away in June 2024, and his co-author PO Nameer, professor of Wildlife Science and dean of the College of Climate Change and Environmental Science at Kerala Agricultural University, have delivered a labour of love.

Johnsingh was an Indian vertebrate ecologist from Tamil Nadu. Considered India’s foremost mammalian expert, his work ranges from research on the dholes in Bandipur and Asian elephants to the conservation of the blue-finned mahseer. He was also a faculty at the Wildlife Institute of India, and served on the National Board for Wildlife.

At its heart, Mammals of India is an exhaustive guide to mammals currently found in India’s varied biogeographic zones. The distribution maps in the book have been prepared by Raghunath Rangaswamy and the illustrations are by Chirag Thumbar. The guide has referred to and cited literature dating back to 1888, and includes updates from scientific journals, information from natural history museums in England and the United States of America. Mammals of India also builds on the work of notable works published in the same genre.

The book covers both terrestrial and aquatic mammal species. One of the approaches that distinguishes this guide from others are the conservation prescriptions made by the authors. In addition to presenting taxonomic, ecological and biological information, the book spells out the conservation challenges to keystone species such as elephants, bears, tigers, leopards and bats.

Bats, the most reviled, stigmatised species and also the most abundant in India — with 135 species found — are given their due space. These “extraordinary creatures” are also the “most misunderstood groups of mammals”, the book notes. It flags removal of fruiting trees along highways during road expansion, disturbance and destruction of roosting sites, climate change, environmental pollution as threats to bats, emphasising the need for the government to actively promote bat research. This is particularly important, it says, in light of Nipah outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The book acquaints the reader with the evolution of mammals through different ages, narrating lucidly the impacts of tectonic shifts, the formation of modern-day biodiversity hotspots, such as the Himalayas and Western Ghats, and their combined impacts on the evolution and distribution of species.

For instance, the Pleistocene epoch, around 2-3 million years ago, presumably forced many mammals to retreat southwards. Among them were possibly the Nilgiri Tahr and their subsequent evolution, which are today famously found in the Nilgiri Hills and its verdant sub-alpine grassland. No less than 11 kinds of elephants or mastodons and six kinds of rhinoceroses, as well as giraffe and hippo-like animals were once found in ancient times.

PO Nameer told The Indian Express that the book’s genesis dates back to 2018, when the former director of the Bombay Natural History Society (BHNS), Deepak Apte, broached the idea of producing an updated version of the classic, The Book of Indian Animals by Anglo-Indian naturalist SH Prater. The idea took a turn and converted into an entirely new and independent volume on Indian mammals. “Johnsingh had put five decades of his career in this work and I have three decades of experience, so it is a work based on our lifelong experience,” Nameer said.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

The Takeda vaccine, Qdenga, is likely to be introduced in India in the first half of 2027 and the price has not yet been decided.

Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories will promote and distribute India’s first anti-dengue vaccine by Takeda Pharmaceuticals across India’s private market for paediatric and adult vaccination, the companies announced on Friday. The vaccine, Qdenga, is likely to be introduced in India in the first half of 2027, they added. The vaccine’s price has not yet been decided.

“The approval for marketing authorisation was just granted in July. Hence, the immediate priority is to complete the necessary local processes required before commercial distribution can begin. It would be premature to speculate on pricing before the remaining local processes are complete,” said Mahender Nayak, head of intercontinental markets, Takeda.

He added that through the collaboration announced on Friday, Takeda and Dr Reddy’s will support healthcare-professional engagement, disease awareness, promotion and distribution of Qdenga across India’s private market for paediatric and adult vaccination, in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

“While inclusion in India’s public immunisation programme remains an important long-term ambition, private-market availability through Dr Reddy’s will provide a pathway for eligible individuals to access the vaccine once it becomes available. Further details will be shared at the appropriate time,” said Nayak.

The collaboration follows the approval of Qdenga’s marketing authorisation by India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation in July for people aged 4-60 years.

Dengue remains a significant and evolving public-health challenge in India. According to a nationwide dengue surveillance study by the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory of the Indian Council of Medical Research, all four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4) are co-circulating across multiple regions in India, with 1 in 14 patients infected with multiple dengue serotypes concurrently.

With cases occurring year-round across India, dengue prevention and management is an urgent public-health priority.

Qdenga is a live-attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine, built on a DENV-2 backbone with structural proteins from DENV-1, DENV-3, and DENV-4, enabling broad immune coverage across all four dengue serotypes.

The vaccine is administered as a two-dose regimen, given three months apart. At least 60,000 participants were studied in the global clinical programme across eight dengue-endemic countries (Brazil, Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Philippines, Thailand and Sri Lanka).

The seven-year pivotal Phase 3 TIDES (Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study, DEN-301) trial showed overall efficacy for all four dengue virus serotypes through seven years, highlighting the durability of the vaccine’s safety and efficacy profile across diverse populations worldwide.

“As the second-largest vaccine player in India, we believe the introduction of India’s first approved dengue vaccine is an important development for the country’s healthcare landscape. Through our collaboration with Takeda, we look forward to making Qdenga available to eligible individuals and contributing to efforts aimed at addressing the country’s dengue burden,” said MV Ramana, CEO, Global Generics, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headlines edited)

The Bill, which will now be sent U.S. President Donald Trump for his signature, could result in significant U.S. tariffs on India.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) passed legislation targeting Russia’s energy sector, individuals and “shadow fleet” of tankers, including authorising the U.S. President to impose tariffs of up to 100% on India and other countries for buying oil and gas from Russia. The House voted ​262-159 ⁠in favour ⁠of the Bill.

The Bill, which will now be sent President Donald Trump for his signature, could result in significant U.S. tariffs on India.

This Bill comes as New Delhi and Washington have been negotiating a preliminary trade deal, with India also increasing its purchase of Russian oil in comparison to last year. The President will have the authority, under the legislation, to waive sanctions in national interest.

“To China and India: You better clean up your act. Buy your oil and gas somewhere else. Appeasement is not a strategy,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, shortly after the bill was passed.

xxxx

What the Bill says on potential target countries

Countries that would be potential targets for the tariff are the top five “largest importers, by total volume” of Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas in the 12 months preceding the date of enactment of the law, and have knowingly made new purchases of Russian crude oil after 30 days from the date the Bill becomes law.

A country that is among the top five countries “facilitating Russian oil sanctions evasion” would also be eligible for the tariffs of up to 100%.

Countries that have taken significant steps to reduce their Russian natural gas imports or whose gas import was less than 15% of Russia’s total gas export, would be exempt from the sanctions.

A House amendment proposed by Democrat Steny Hoyer that sought to name the top 10 importers — China, India, Turkiye, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Slovakia, the UAE and the Kyrgyz Republic — had not passed into the final version considered on Wednesday (September 16, 2026).

New Delhi’s import of Russian oil hit a 11-month high in April this year following the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran.

Earlier, India had cut back on purchases of Russian oil, hitting a 38-month low in December 2025. The Trump administration had announced an additional 25%, on top of an existing 25%, tariff on India for the purchase of Russian energy. The U.S. Treasury paused sanctions for oil shipments that were in transit before March 11, 2026, as supplies were hit following the U.S.-Iran conflict.

The latest Bill, an amendment to the Senate’s “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026”, will now head to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

Concerns over sweeping powers to the President

The Bill, named for a prominent Ukraine supporter Mr, Graham — who died suddenly on July 11 this year —  had passed the Senate 86-11 on August 7. Several prominent Democrats like Elizabeth Warren and those caucusing with Democrats like Bernie Sanders, as well as some Republicans, such as Rand Paul, had opposed the Bill, concerned over the sweeping powers it would give the President or the cost it would impose, via tariffs, on Americans.

Several lawmakers have been concerned that the ability of Mr. Trump to impose tariffs on U.S. allies —such as Canada and the European Union in its entirety— would be bolstered by the Act.

The Ranking Member (i.e., from the chamber’s minority or Democratic party) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC), Gregrory Meeks, criticised the Bill. “We cannot grant the President more tariff power that , we know, he will abuse,” Mr. Meeks said, adding that it would cost at least $3000 per American family, assuming Mr. Trump restricted tariffs on the top five importers of Russian oil.

In remarks on Tuesday (September 15, 2026), Mr. Meeks had emphasised that he supported sanctions on Russia, arguing that the President already had powers to sanction Russia but was not using them.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

Harmanpreet Kaur-led India defeated defending champions Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday to clinch a record-extending eighth title.

India produced a dominant all-round performance, with their batters setting up a strong total before the bowlers completed the job by dismissing Sri Lanka for 111 in their chase of 184.

Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma led India’s batting effort with half-centuries and shared a record 129-run opening partnership. The bowlers then took control of the contest, with Shree Charani claiming four wickets and Deepti Sharma taking three. Kranti Gaud, Shafali Verma and Prema Rawat picked up one wicket each.

Both India and Sri Lanka had entered the final unbeaten after topping their respective groups. India’s campaign also featured a record victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, who were bowled out for their lowest-ever T20 total. Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, had secured a narrow win over Pakistan in the semifinal to reach the title clash.

The victory further strengthened India’s dominance over Sri Lanka, taking their head-to-head tally to 26 wins in 31 matches.

With eight titles from nine final appearances, India remain the most successful team in the history of the Women’s Asia Cup.

source/content: daijiworld.com (headline edited)

The milestone was achieved through close scientific collaboration between Jindal Steel, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).

In a breakthrough that redefines sustainable infrastructure and circular engineering, Jindal Steel has etched its name into the Guinness World Records by constructing the world’s longest road built entirely from processed steel slag.

Stretching 1.85 kilometres as a heavy-duty four-lane corridor in Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh, the landmark project directly links with National Highway-49. What makes the achievement notable is the complete elimination of mined natural stone aggregate: every layer—from the structural foundation to the upper bituminous riding surface—was engineered using 100% processed industrial slag.

Earlier, civil engineering scientists from across the country and an official adjudicating delegation from the Guinness World Records visited Raigarh to inspect the engineering data, audit material compliance, and verify the record with field evaluations, the organisation’s officials said.

The road was formally inaugurated through a virtual ceremony jointly led by Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh and Chairman of Jindal Steel Limited Naveen Jindal in New Delhi.

Embodying India’s vision of “Waste to Wealth,” the project repurposed nearly two lakh tonnes of steel plant byproduct. Beyond halting quarrying and conserving natural stone reserves, the engineered design delivers immense structural and economic benefits. Built to carry relentless heavy commercial traffic and loaded industrial trucks, the corridor is approximately 35% thinner than conventional bituminous pavements while reducing construction costs by around 40%.

The milestone was achieved through close scientific collaboration between Jindal Steel, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI). Leading scientists across India subjected the industrial byproduct to a rigorous processing regimen involving multi-stage crushing, magnetic metal extraction, and precision grading to convert it into high-strength aggregates.

“India’s growth trajectory must be powered by innovations that defend our environment while generating tangible economic value,” said Naveen Jindal. “This record-setting road proves that what was once written off as industrial waste can be transformed into a vital building block for nation-building,” he added.

“This accomplishment breathes life into the vision of ‘Waste to Wealth’ and demonstrates the transformative power of indigenous science in solving major environmental and logistical challenges,” Union Minister Jitendra Singh affirmed.

Marking the commercial and technical viability of the breakthrough, Jindal Steel formally unveiled “Steel Grit” as the brand identity and logo for its processed slag aggregate.

An official agreement was also executed during the event to expand the deployment of this indigenous road-building technology to other national highway and state infrastructure projects across the country.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

In conversation with The Hindu’s Science Editor Jacob Koshy, the veteran biologist dwelled on the quality of education, regulatory frameworks governing the biotechnology sector, economic factors, global competition and the potential of AI to democratise spaces.

Quality of education, regulatory frameworks governing the biotechnology sector, economic factors, global competition and the potential of AI to democratise spaces were some of the many topics discussed in a wide-ranging conversation at the Biotech Conclave 2026, presented by VIT Chennai in association with The Hindu, on Friday (September 11, 2026).

Former principal scientific advisor to the Union government K. VijayRaghavan, who has worked with the National Centre for Biological Sciences and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, in conversation with Jacob Koshy, Science Editor, The Hindu, highlighted the importance of fundamental research — despite potential arguments that it was openly available from all over world — still being essential to invest in as today’s technologies could not simply be imported without understanding, and that the development of science and curiosity in our context was crucial.

Need for contextual regulation

On the regulatory frameworks in India, he noted that a lot of regulatory principles, till recently, were drawn from the West and there was an assumption that the more regulations there were, the better it was. But this resulted in only companies with deep pockets being able to jump through hoops, while a lot of innovation got thrown out. A deep understanding, he said, was needed for contextual regulation.

On the new innovations and startup space in biotechnology, Prof. VijayRaghavan said that the sector was growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12-13% or more, with over 1,100 startups started in the last year. But the challenge for small players today is that this is an extremely competitive space, he said. Even the stable, bigger companies are under threat, he said, because of the advent of new science, robotics and AI. This is a warning call for Indian biotechnology companies, he said, to invest in a fundamental connect between academia, global academia and translation.

On AI’s role

While AI was a democratising factor in some ways in terms of allowing experiments that could once only be conducted in the lab to be conducted on tabletops now and offered great potential, this also presented potential regulatory challenges and threats, he noted.

Prof. VijayRaghavan also stressed that the issue of quality education at scale in India needed to be urgently addressed. He recalled the suggestion to make the fourth year in undergraduate courses into internships in academia or industry to enable students to be ready. Otherwise, he cautioned, students would be in a serious crisis in a rapidly-changing world.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)