A 500-year-old bronze idol of Saint Tirumankai Alvar that was stolen from a Tamil Nadu temple is scheduled to be returned to India by Oxford University. The University of Oxford Council agreed to the Indian High Commission's request to have a 16th-century bronze statue of Saint Tirumankai Alvar returned from the Ashmolean Museum on March 11, 2024. The Ashmolean Museum declared that this decision is currently awaiting Charity Commission approval. The Ashmolean Museum first acquired this 60 cm-tall figure in 1967 from Dr J R Belmont's collection through Sotheby's auction business (1886–
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams rocketed into space, making history as the first woman to test a spacecraft on its maiden mission. Williams spent the last ten years contributing to the spacecraft's design. She launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard Boeing's Starliner spaceship at 8:22 p.m. on an Atlas 5 rocket. It's her third trip into space. Starliner was successfully launched into the proper orbit on its third attempt. One day later, it will dock with the International Space Station (ISS). SpaceX Crew Dragon, ISS, and Boeing Starliner are the three
This year's World Environment Day stands out as an example of conservation innovation with the Rajaji Raghati Biosphere (RRB) and a future initiative in the Western Ghats. Entrepreneurs Jai Dhar Gupta and Vijay Dhasmana are in charge of these initiatives, which focus on reforestation, community involvement, and ecosystem regeneration. A new Delhi businessman, Jai Dhar Gupta, was diagnosed with bronchial asthma and went on to become a champion for clean air. In Rajaji National Park, Jai and environmentalist Vijay Dhasmana are currently establishing India's first private biosphere. This 3
On Thursday, Sri Lanka granted Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite-based ISP, a preliminary licence to deliver internet services in the island nation. Officials from Sri Lanka's President's Media Division (PMD) made the announcement via an X: "State Technology Minister @kanakadh announced that TRCSL (Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka) has granted preliminary approval for @Starlink to provide satellite-based internet services in Sri Lanka, following a formal public consultation process." Following that, the PMD stated, "The details of the public consultation will be published
The historic Shore Temple in Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has become India’s first Green Energy Archaeological Site. The Green Heritage Project, a partnership between Hand in Hand India and Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India, is responsible for this significant achievement. The installation of three 10-kilowatt solar power plants has made it possible for the Shore Temple to run entirely on solar power. By recharging the grid with excess energy, these plants can help meet future energy demands while reducing their negative effects on the environment. Usin
The largest optical astronomy digital camera ever constructed is going to be hosted in Chile. It weighs approximately three tonnes and has a resolution of 3.2 gigapixels. The camera and ground-based telescope of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory have been moved to Cerro Pachón in the Coquimbo area, which is 565 kilometres north of Santiago. According to Stuartt Corder, assistant director of the NOIRLab facility and chief science officer of the AURA organisation, "Everything needed for operations is now on the summit and ready for checkout and hopefully for installation later this year." Al
According to Tuesday's announcement by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Chang'e-6 spacecraft has begun its return to Earth after launching from the moon's far side. The goal of China becoming the first nation to return lunar samples from the far side—the side of the moon that is continuously facing away from Earth—is getting closer with each passing day. After collecting samples from June 2–3, the probe departed the moon at 7:38 a.m. local time (2338 GMT). According to CNSA, Chang'e-6 "passed the litmus test of high temperature on the far side of the moon." Operati
India's rich culture is reflected in its 1,500+ mango varieties. Indian farmers cultivate Japan's Miyazaki mangoes, among the world's most expensive fruits. These red or purple mangoes sell for roughly ₹2.5 lakh per kg, significantly higher than the average ₹100-₹200 per kg for regular mangoes. Miyazaki mangoes originated in Japan during the Meiji Period (1868-1912), with widespread cultivation beginning in the 1970s. Their creamy texture, aromatic smell, and juicy flesh provide a unique, rich sweetness that distinguishes them from traditional mangoes. These mangoes thrive in sunny a
On May 31, a 12-year-old Indian-American, Bruhat Soma, from Tampa, Florida, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee in a thrilling tiebreaker. Soma, whose parents are from Telangana, India, properly spelt 29 words in the tiebreaker, outscoring Faizan Zaki by nine words. The winning word was "abseil." Soma won a trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. The seventh-grader had previously won three straight spelling bees. Thursday's competition began with eight finalists and featured lengthy commercial breaks in which contestants connected with their fans. During the tiebreaker, Soma's s
Santosh Sivan, a renowned Indian cinematographer, has been awarded the prestigious Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Asian to earn this honour. Actor Preity Zinta presented him with a prize at the Palais de Festivals, recognising his 'career and excellent quality of work. Santosh, an FTII Pune graduate and founding member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers, has worked on over 55 films and 50 documentaries. His famous works include "Roja," "Dil Se," "Iruvar," and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai." He has also directed over 15 films,