The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaborative research and training with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur on 18 April 2024. The MoU was signed by Director General Armed Forces Medical Services Lt Gen Daljit Singh & Officiating Director, IIT Kanpur Prof S Ganesh. Under this MoU, AFMS and IIT Kanpur will team up to undertake research and develop new technologies to address health problems faced by soldiers in difficult terrains.

IIT Kanpur will also provide technical expertise for developing AI diagnostic models, at Armed Forces Centre for Computational Medicine established in Armed Forces Medical College, which is first of its kind amongst medical colleges in India. Under the ambit of this MoU, faculty exchange program, joint academic activities and development of training modules will also be planned.

On this occasion, Lt Gen Daljit Singh informed that AFMS is dedicated to provide highest level of medical care to soldiers and collaboration with institutes of national importance like IIT is a significant step towards this commitment. Prof S Ganesh emphasised the need for inter-professional collaboration and utilisation of advanced technologies like computational medicine and AI in health care.

The Reserve Bank has imposed penalties totalling ₹60.3 lakh on five cooperative banks for contravention of various regulatory norms.

A penalty of ₹43.30 lakh has been imposed on Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank for non-compliance with RBI directions on 'ban on loans and advances to directors and their relatives, and firms/concerns in which they are interested', 'prohibition on opening of saving bank accounts in the names of certain bodies/organizations' and 'maintenance of deposit accounts'.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of three IAS officers on Additional Secretary level on Thursday.

Rakesh Kumar Verma (IAS) has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Rakesh is a 1993-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Punjab cadre. Presently, he is serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism.

Hindustan Zinc Limited, a Vedanta group company, became the third-largest silver producer globally, according to the World Silver Survey 2024 conducted by ‘The Silver Institute’, USA.

The survey also mentioned the company’s Sindesar Khurd Mine was now the world’s second-largest silver-producing mine, moving up from last year’s fourth position.

Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc, attributed to increased ore production and enhanced grades, reinforcing its status as a key player in the global silver market. “Silver plays a pivotal role in the global energy transition and our recent record silver production of 746 MT paves the way for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

In a pivotal move towards accelerating India's transition to a sustainable and eco-friendly energy landscape, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) has inaugurated a specialized office in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, to bolster the financing of Green Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Manufacturing projects by offering debt options denominated in foreign currencies.

According to a press release by the Ministry of New and Renewable energy, the establishment of this office heralds a step towards realizing the nation's aspirations for a greener future.

State-owned Power Grid Corporation of India board on Wednesday approved a proposal to raise up to Rs 12,000 through the issuance of bonds in one or more tranches in 2024-25.

"Committee of Directors for Bonds in their meeting held on today i.e. on 17th April 2024 has approved the raising of Bonds as Unsecured, Non-convertible, Non-cumulative, Redeemable, Taxable Powergrid Bonds Issue(s) during FY 2024-25 in one or more tranches/series up to Rs 12,000 crore," a BSE filing said.

Power Grid Corporation is the country's largest electric power transmission utility. It operates 86 per cent of Inter-Regional networks.

The oldest living pilot of the Indian Air Force, Squadron Leader Dalip Singh Majithia, died at the age of 103 at his farm in Uttarakhand on Monday night.

The cremation will take place on Tuesday noon at his farm in Rudrapur, Majithia’s daughter Kiran told The Indian Express. “The bhog ceremony will be held in New Delhi and we shall inform the date later,” she said.

Born on July 27, 1920 at Shimla, Squadron Leader Majithia joined the Indian Air Force (IAF) volunteer reserve in 1940 during World War-II, following in the footsteps of his uncle Surjeet Singh Majithia (grandfather of Akali politician Bikramjit Singh Majithia).

Actor Ram Charan has received an honorary doctorate from Vels University at the institute’s 14th Annual Convocation which was held at its Pallavaram campus in Chennai.

Along with Ram Charan, the university also awarded Dr P Veeramuthuvel, the Project Coordinator at Chandrayaan, Dr GSK Velu, the Founder and CMD of Trivitron Healthcare, and table tennis player and Padma Shri awardee Achanta Sharath Kamal. TG Sitharam, the Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education, was also present at the event as its chief guest.

Thousands of people gathered in Ayodhya on Wednesday to celebrate the first Ram Navami after the consecration of the Ram Temple on January 22 this year and watch the “Surya Tilak” on the forehead of Ram Lalla idol for six minutes at noon.

Officials said that as the sun rays illuminated the forehead of the Lord Ram Lalla idol at the newly built temple on Wednesday, scores of devotees turned euphoric”. “Devotees at the temple were engrossed in capturing this magical and memorable moment. Similarly, those watching on large LED screens and from the comfort of their homes were equally captivated,” said a statement issued by the UP government.

A state-of-the-art Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE) was inaugurated by Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat at Underwater Acoustic Research Facility, Kulamavu in Idukki, Kerala on April 17, 2024. The SPACE, set up by the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory of DRDO, has been designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems destined for Indian Navy onboard various platforms including ships, submarines and helicopters.

The SPACE marks a milestone in naval technology advancement. It will consist of two distinct assemblages - a platform which floats on the water surface, and a submersible platform which can be lowered to any depth upto 100 m using winch systems. Upon completion of operations, the submersible platform can be winched up and docked with the floating platform.