Category Archives: News

SKF India Appoints Madhu Dhandhania Jalan as Director – GCC & Finance Operations Centre, ISEAM

Pune, June 11 : SKF India , India’s technology and solutions provider for industrial applications, has announced the appointment of Madhu Dhandhania Jalan as Director –  & Finance Operations Centre for India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East , SKF India .

In her new role, Madhu will lead the development and scaling of SKF’s GCC organisation, strengthening regional capabilities, driving finance operations, strengthen governance and accelerating transformation and building a robust global delivery backbone to support the company’s growth ambitions.

“I am honoured to join SKF at an important point in its growth and transformation journey across the region,” said Madhu Jalan, Director – GCC & FOC, ISEAM, SKF India. “I see a significant opportunity to build future-ready capabilities, strengthen operational excellence, and create a scalable platform that supports business performance and long-term value creation.”

Madhu brings significant leadership experience across global finance operations, shared services, and transformation, with a strong track record of building high-performing teams, simplifying complex operating environments, and delivering operational efficiency at scale. Her appointment will support SKF’s ambition to advance agility, standardisation, and scalable capability creation across the region.

Madhu brings more than two and half decades of cross-sector leadership experience spanning finance, audit and consulting, banking, telecommunications, logistics, and e-commerce. Prior to joining SKF, she worked at Amazon, Maersk Global Service Centres, Tata Teleservices, Tata Communications, Avaya, ICICI Bank, and Bharti Airtel.

Madhu is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and holds an Executive MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

Proposed NOAA Cuts Would Leave Kansans Unprepared for Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters

WASHINGTON, June 11 – Today, Ocean Conservancy released a new report detailing the role that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plays in supporting public safety and economic productivity in Kansas, from tornado warning systems to drought monitoring to aviation forecasting. As Congress weighs whether to pass $1.6 billion in federal budget cuts to NOAA, the report provides clarity on how cuts would impact Kansas and what leaders can do to protect NOAA services Kansans rely on. 

“NOAA touches nearly every aspect of Americans’ lives, even in landlocked Kansas,” said Katherine Tsantiris, Ocean Conservancy’s director of government relations. “The ocean does not stop mattering at the shoreline, and Kansas weather doesn’t start at its border. Weather across the Great Plains is shaped by conditions in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and changes thousands of miles away can have profound impacts across the state. NOAA gives Kansans the advance warning they need by spotting life-or-death threats long before they arrive.”

Kansas has unusually high exposure to weather risk. According to NOAA estimates, Kansas has experienced 102 weather and climate disaster events with at least $1 billion in damages from 1980-2024. This year, Kansas City saw record-breaking severe weather, recording 244 severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings.

Through an evaluation of NOAA data and government reporting, the report provides a snapshot of how the agency impacts everyday life in Kansas and supports key sectors of the Kansas economy. This includes its aerospace industry, which contributes $7 billion annually to Kansas’ gross domestic product, and its wind-powered electric generation, which supplied more than half of Kansas’ net generation in 2024. 

Drought is among the costliest hazards to the economy, with Kansas’ 2011 losses exceeded $1.7 billion. Across Kansas and the Great Plains, ranchers use weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, which draws on NOAA data, to make critical decisions — and the USDA uses the U.S. Drought Monitor to determine eligibility for specific aid programs. Without this monitoring, farmers lose access to vital information and face a harder time getting aid — exactly when speed and clarity matter most.

Key services provided by NOAA to Kansas include weather forecasting and tornado warning systems, agricultural data and drought monitoring, and aerospace and wind-power generation forecasting. The report predicts that proposed federal cuts to NOAA would likely lead to:

• Less accurate weather forecasting.
• Slower modernization of tornado, flood and flash-drought services.
• Erosion of NOAA’s U.S. Drought Monitor to accurately predict drought in Kansas.
• More expensive and uncertain infrastructure and water management operations, such as bridges and roads that rely on NOAA data to ensure they are built to withstand future climate and weather extremes.

“American farming and ranching families work incredibly hard, but their livelihoods are often at the mercy of weather patterns shaped hundreds or even thousands of miles away,” said Jeff Watters, Ocean Conservancy’s Vice President of External Affairs. “Their success depends on having reliable, up to date information to make crucial decisions on what to plant and when, and to prepare when severe weather threatens crops, livestock and equipment. NOAA provides the forecasts, data and certainty farmers need to make these decisions with confidence.” 

According to the report, even making targeted cuts to NOAA funding and services could have wide-ranging consequences. For example, the report explores how cuts to NOAA’s U.S. Drought Monitor, which draws on data from distant ocean conditions, would have direct impacts on Kansas ranchers, farmers and agencies. Data from the monitor feeds into NOAA’s Southern Plains Drought Early Warning System, which Kansas communities rely on for confidence and clarity when decisions are most costly and time-sensitive. It similarly explores how cuts to NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory would undermine the future readiness and safety of Kansas communities in reacting to tornados and extreme weather.

“NOAA operates as an interconnected whole that extends well beyond the forecast people see on their phone,” said Tsantiris. “Cutting one program or service will undermine NOAA’s ability to provide timely guidance and warnings for Kansas communities. It’s like stripping key nutrients out of the soil and expecting it to produce the same harvest. It may not be obvious right away, but the entire ecosystem suffers.”

Ahead of the September 30, 2026, deadline for Congress to decide on $1.6 billion in NOAA funding cuts proposed by the Trump administration, the report provides the following recommendations for Kansas leaders:

• Fully fund NOAA as an integrated system, not a set of disconnected programs.
• Protect NOAA observation systems and satellite continuity that feed weather forecasting and severe-storm monitoring.
• Support efforts to transform innovative research into operational solutions to reduce risk and improve severe-weather warnings.
• Maintain NOAA drought monitoring and reporting systems.
• Support NOAA data infrastructure and applied climate services.
• Treat NOAA operations and maintenance as public safety spending, not overhead.

“NOAA is not a distant federal agency, it’s an integral part of our public safety net, our economy and our daily lives,” said Tsantiris. “Congress should once again stand united in rejecting proposed cuts to this critical agency. Weakening NOAA would have irreparable consequences for the safety and economic well-being of Kansas and communities across America.”
 

Shri Jayant Chaudhary Flags Off 14 Indian Workers to Mauritius Under India–Mauritius Mobility Partnership

Chandigarh, June 11 : Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, flagged off a contingent of 14 Indian skilled workers departing for Mauritius under the Government-to-Government Labour Mobility Framework established between the Republic of India and the Republic of Mauritius.

The departure follows the successful placement of first batch of Indian workers who have already travelled to Mauritius and commenced employment under the programme. With another 14 workers departing and 33 additional candidates currently undergoing work permit and documentation processes, the initiative is steadily creating structured overseas employment opportunities for Indian youth under a transparent government-supported framework.

Addressing the departing candidates, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State  for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, Government of India, said:

“India’s skilled workforce is increasingly being recognised across the world for its talent, professionalism and adaptability. The growing momentum of the India-Mauritius mobility partnership reflects the confidence that global employers place in Indian talent. These workers carry with them not only professional skills but also the aspirations of a young India that is ready to contribute to the global economy. Through trusted Government-to-Government partnerships, we are creating safe, transparent and aspirational pathways for international employment while ensuring that Indian workers are equipped to succeed and thrive in a rapidly evolving world.”

The India-Mauritius labour mobility partnership is being implemented under the Memorandum of Understanding on Employment of Workers signed between the Republic of India and the Republic of Mauritius in May 2023. The framework aims to facilitate ethical recruitment, worker welfare, transparency and structured mobility pathways aligned with the laws and labour standards of both countries.

The departed candidates represent the pan-India reach of the programme, hailing from seven states across the country. The group includes six candidates from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Bihar and Himachal Pradesh, and one candidate each from Manipur, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. The candidates bring experience across retail operations, logistics, customer service, hospitality and technical trades, reflecting the diversity and quality of India’s skilled workforce.

The programme has been facilitated by NSDC, which was designated in July 2025 to support the Economic Development Board  of Mauritius in operationalising this bilateral labour mobility initiative. Since its launch, the programme has witnessed initial demand from Super U Mauritius, one of the country’s leading retail chains, for skilled Indian workers across a range of roles, including Shelf Workers, Cashiers, Cooks, and Electricians.

The selected candidates will be working across a range of functions at Super U Mauritius, including retail operations, inventory management, customer service, food preparation, and electrical maintenance. They will be engaged under three-year employment contracts offering an annual compensation package of approximately ₹4 lakh – ₹4.5 lakh, along with company-supported accommodation, local transportation, overtime, work permits, medical coverage, and other statutory benefits.

These opportunities underscore the programme’s commitment to creating safe, transparent, and rewarding overseas employment pathways for Indian workers, while ensuring their welfare, professional development, and long-term career progression in international labour markets.
The initiative highlights the growing global demand for skilled Indian talent and underscores the importance of industry-aligned skilling in preparing youth for opportunities in international labour markets. Such efforts contribute to strengthening India’s position as a trusted global talent partner while advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat through skills, employability and workforce readiness.

The event was also witnessed by Shri Niranjan Kumar Sudhansu, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship , along with officials associated with the programme.

Hyderabad to Host Second Season of Archery Premier League This October; World’s Archers to Compete

Hyderabad, June 10: Hyderabad is set to become the center of the archery world this October as the Archery Premier League (APL) arrives in the City of Pearls for its second season. From October 8 to 18, People’s Plaza on Necklace Road will host eleven days of elite competition, bringing together six franchise teams and many of the world’s finest archers for a sporting spectacle.

Initiated by the Archery Association of India (AAI), and backed by the Government of Telangana, Season 2 builds on the success of a landmark inaugural edition in New Delhi last year. The league will once again bring Olympic champions, world champions, world number ones, and some of the biggest names in archery to Indian shores, as Hyderabad prepares to host a world-class sporting spectacle. Leading Indian archers include former World No. 1 and four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari, four-time Olympian Atanu Das, 2023 Compound World Champion Gold Medallist Ojas Deotale, top Compound archers Jyoti Surekha, Abhishek Verma and Olympian Ankita Bhakat, alongside an elite field of international stars.

Launched in 2025 with the objective of strengthening India’s Olympic medal prospects in archery, the Archery Premier League (APL) was conceived as a platform that enables Indian archers to compete in a high-performance environment. 

The league for the first time brings together recurve and compound archers both men and women shooting together in competitive conditions while introducing a unique 15-

second shot clock, five seconds shorter than the 20-second limit used in Olympic and World Archery competitions-placing an added premium on speed, composure and decision-making under pressure. APL is currently the world’s only franchise-based archery league and enjoys the support of World Archery and World Archery Asia.

With the advent of season 2 on the horizon, Mr. Anil Kamineni, Director, APL, said,

 “We are delighted to bring the Archery Premier League to Hyderabad for Season 2 and are grateful to the Government of Telangana for its support in making this possible. The city has a rich sporting culture, a deep appreciation for excellence, and the energy to host an event of this scale. The inaugural season demonstrated not only the immense potential of archery as a spectator sport but also the value of creating a platform where Indian archers can compete alongside the world’s best. As we build on that foundation, our focus remains on strengthening India’s archery ecosystem, providing world-class competitive opportunities for athletes, and inspiring the next generation of talent. We are confident that Hyderabad will provide the perfect stage for a memorable second season.”

The 11-day tournament will feature six franchises, Mighty Marathas, Rajputana Royals, Prithviraaj Yodhas, Kakatiya Knights, Chero Archers and Chola Chiefs  with a total of 48 Indian and international archers competing across recurve and compound disciplines. Each team will field a mixed squad of eight archers, with the competition following a double round-robin format. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the semi-finals, culminating in the final on October 18.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Virendra Sachdeva, Secretary General, AAI and Director, APL, said,

“APL was conceived with a larger vision of strengthening India’s pathway to Olympic success in archery. For our athletes to consistently compete for medals on the world’s biggest stages, they need regular exposure to the highest standards of competition, and that is 

what the league seeks to provide. At the same time, APL has created a unique model for the sport globally by combining elite international participation with a franchise-based format that brings archery closer to fans. We believe the league is not only helping raise the competitive standards of Indian archery but is also contributing to the evolution of how the sport is presented and experienced worldwide.”

Season 1 crowned Rajputana Royals as champions and featured several leading names from the sport, including Olympic gold medallist Mete Gazoz and Compound World Champion Ella Gibson. The league also attracted interest from prominent personalities, including actor and entrepreneur Ram Charan. The Hyderabad edition is expected to feature another strong field of Indian and international archers as the competition enters its second season.

Further details on team squads, player signings, the match schedule and broadcast partners for the October 8–18 tournament will be announced in the coming weeks.

PM Modi Embarks on Week-Long Europe Tour; France, Slovakia and G7 Summit on Agenda

New Delhi, June 10 (UDN): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a week-long visit to France and Slovakia beginning June 13, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, expanding economic and technological cooperation, and addressing key global challenges at the G7 Summit.

The visit will commence in the French city of Nice, where Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on June 14. The two leaders are expected to review the full spectrum of India-France relations, which were elevated to a Special Global Strategic Partnership earlier this year. Discussions are likely to focus on defence cooperation, trade, investment, technology, clean energy, innovation, and strategic collaboration.

During their meeting in Nice, the two leaders will jointly inaugurate the ‘Bharat Innovates’ event, a major platform bringing together leading startups, innovators, entrepreneurs, and venture capital funds from India, France, and other countries. The initiative is expected to foster cross-border innovation partnerships and strengthen collaboration in emerging technologies.

Following his engagements in France, Prime Minister Modi will undertake a State Visit to Slovakia from June 14 to 16. The visit assumes special significance as it will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country’s independence in 1993. The two sides are expected to explore new opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, railway technology, and industrial development.

In the third leg of the tour, Prime Minister Modi will participate in the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on June 16 and 17. During the summit, he will join discussions with leaders of the world’s major economies and partner nations on issues including global economic recovery, international cooperation, sustainable development, and the responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The Prime Minister is also expected to hold several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. Media reports suggest a possible meeting with US President Donald Trump, although an official confirmation is yet to be announced. If it takes place, it would mark the first interaction between the two leaders since their meeting in Washington, D.C., in February 2025.

In the final phase of his visit, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Paris on June 18 to attend VivaTech, Europe’s largest technology and startup summit. His participation is expected to showcase India’s growing stature as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and emerging technologies.

The Ministry of External Affairs said the visit will further deepen India’s strategic partnerships with France and Slovakia while reinforcing the country’s role as a leading voice of the Global South. The tour is also expected to strengthen collaboration in innovation, investment, technology, and education, while advancing India’s vision of becoming a global knowledge and innovation powerhouse.

GIFT City Launches Second Cohort of Fintech Residential Programme

Gandhinagar, June 10 : Gujarat International Finance Tec-City  has launched the second cohort of its Fintech Residential Programme, aimed at supporting early-stage startups developing solutions in areas such as cross-border finance, security, risk and compliance, Web3 and blockchain infrastructure, and GovTech and RegTech. The application for eligible startups opened on Wednesday and the last date for applying is July 05.

The six-month programme, being delivered through the GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub is designed for idea-stage, pre-product, minimum viable product-stage and early-validation startups. It combines three months of in-person residency at GIFT City with three months of virtual support focused on product development, market validation and ecosystem engagement.

Participating startups will receive mentorship from industry experts, access to ecosystem stakeholders, regulatory exposure, and opportunities to engage with investors and strategic partners. The programme seeks to help founders build, validate and scale solutions relevant to the evolving financial services landscape.

The second cohort builds on the success of the inaugural Residential Programme, which supported 11 startups with structured mentorship, product development assistance, ecosystem access, and investor engagement.

Established by GIFT City in January 2025, GIFT IFIH serves as a platform to support fintech startups through incubation, acceleration and access to the broader financial services ecosystem operating within India’s International Financial Services Centre . Over the next four years, the Hub aims to support 250 fintech startups and contribute to the development of a globally competitive innovation ecosystem anchored in GIFT City.

Since commencing operations, GIFT IFIH has engaged with startups across areas including cross-border payments, regulatory technology, digital assets, compliance solutions and financial infrastructure. Several portfolio startups have leveraged innovation and regulatory frameworks available within the IFSC ecosystem, including participation in the IFSCA FinTech Innovation Sandbox and obtaining Payment Service Provider  licences under the IFSCA regulatory framework.

Commenting on the launch, Mr Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO, GIFT City, said,

“The convergence of finance, technology and regulation is creating new opportunities for innovation across the financial services sector. Through the Fintech Residential Programme, we aim to support founders developing solutions for domestic and global markets while leveraging the unique ecosystem available at GIFT City. By bringing together startups, regulators, financial institutions, investors and industry experts, we are creating an environment that enables innovation, collaboration and responsible growth.”

As GIFT City continues to expand its role as an international financial centre, initiatives such as the Fintech Residential Programme are expected to strengthen the startup ecosystem, promote entrepreneurship and support the development of next-generation financial services.

Kansai Nerolac Paints turns up the heat on camera

Mumbai , June 10 : What if a paint brand stopped telling you it works and simply showed you… in infrared? That is the idea behind the new Digital Video Campaign  by Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited, one of the leading Indian paint companies, for its advanced heat reflective coating – Nerolac Perma NoHeat. Produced by creative and content agency BUZZINga for Kansai Nerolac Paints, the campaign used the only thermal imaging camera available in India to showcase the functionality of Perma NoHeat, demonstrating a 15°C surface temperature reduction visible to the naked eye.

The DVC puts Nerolac Perma NoHeat through a real test and let the thermal camera render the verdict. Filmed in Rajasthan, the experiment captures surface temperatures on treated and untreated surfaces using a thermal vision camera. The resulting footage, rendered in heat spectrum colour, transforms what would otherwise be an invisible physical phenomenon into something consumers can process in seconds. The resulting visual contrast clearly demonstrates the coating’s ability to reduce surface temperatures under real-world conditions. The use of thermal imaging in this DVC marks a notable departure from conventional category communication in Indian paints. By making that readout the centrepiece of the film, BUZZINga and Kansai Nerolac Paints have effectively converted an abstract product specification into a visible, real time proof point.

Ramkrishna Naik, Chief Marketing Officer, Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited said,

 “With Nerolac Perma NoHeat, we have always known that the product’s strongest advocate is its own performance. Our objective with this campaign was to close the gap between what we claim and what the consumer can independently verify. It was not built on storytelling alone, but on evidence. We believe that in a market where trust and performance accountability are becoming central to purchase decisions, this approach sets a new benchmark for how paint brands can communicate product efficacy.”

“The brief was simple: help consumers understand that a paint can actually help reduce heat. We felt the answer wasn’t in explaining the science better, but in making it visible. That thinking led us to conceive and execute a film built around thermal imaging technology and a real-world experiment. At BUZZINga, we’re always looking for new ways to make brand stories more tangible, and this approach allowed us to turn an invisible benefit into something consumers could instantly see and understand. In doing so, we helped create what we believe is a first-of-its-kind use of thermal imaging in the Indian paint category to showcase actual product performance.”, Kritika Beri, Co-Founder, BUZZINga added. 

Designed for exterior walls, terraces, and rooftop surfaces, Nerolac Perma NoHeat functions as a passive cooling intervention, requiring no power or upkeep. It is engineered for the specific challenges of the Indian subcontinent, through specialised pigments designed to reflect solar radiation and reduce heat absorption. 

Zojila Tunnel Achieves Final Breakthrough, Bringing Kashmir-Ladakh All-Weather Connectivity Closer to Reality

New Delhi/Srinagar, June 10: The strategically important Zojila Tunnel project achieved a major milestone on Tuesday with the successful final breakthrough of the tunnel, marking a significant step towards establishing all-weather connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari virtually inaugurated the breakthrough by pressing a remote button that triggered the final blast at the breakthrough site near the eastern portal of the tunnel at Minimarg in Ladakh.

The achievement is being hailed as a landmark feat in India’s infrastructure development journey. Once completed, the Zojila Tunnel will ensure year-round road connectivity between Srinagar and Leh, overcoming the challenges posed by heavy snowfall and harsh weather conditions that often cut off Ladakh from the rest of the country during winter.

Officials said the tunnel will significantly reduce travel time, improve road safety, strengthen defence logistics, and boost tourism, trade, and economic development in the region. The project is also expected to enhance access to essential services, including healthcare and education, for residents of remote areas.

Describing the breakthrough as a historic moment, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the achievement brings the decades-old dream of seamless, all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh closer to reality. The tunnel is regarded as one of India’s most ambitious and strategically significant infrastructure projects in the Himalayan region.

The successful breakthrough reflects the engineering expertise and determination of the workforce that executed the project under challenging geographical and climatic conditions, paving the way for a new era of connectivity and development in the region.

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After Odisha CM’s Appeal, ‘Dham’ to Be Removed from Digha Jagannath Shrine

Bhubaneswar, June 10 (UDN): In a significant development amid the controversy surrounding the naming of the Jagannath temple in Digha, the West Bengal government has agreed to remove the word “Dham” from the shrine’s name. The decision comes after Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi raised concerns over the use of the term, which is traditionally associated with the sacred Jagannath Temple in Puri, one of Hinduism’s four Char Dham pilgrimage sites.

Supporting the Odisha government’s appeal, senior West Bengal leader Suvendu Adhikari announced that the temple complex currently known as “Digha Jagannath Dham” would be renamed as the “Jagannath Cultural Centre” or a similar cultural designation. He said the move respects the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath devotees and preserves the unique spiritual identity of Puri’s Jagannath Dham.

The issue gained momentum after Chief Minister Majhi formally wrote to the West Bengal government, emphasizing that the title “Jagannath Dham” is intrinsically linked to Puri and holds immense religious, historical, and cultural significance. The decision to drop the term has been welcomed across Odisha, with many viewing it as a gesture of mutual respect and cultural harmony between the two neighbouring states.

The proposal to officially revise the nomenclature is expected to be placed before the West Bengal Cabinet in the coming days.