Renowned economist Ashok Lahiri and scientist Gobardhan Das, two illustrious personalities from West Bengal, were on Friday named as the Niti Aayog vice-chairman and member, respectively, government sources said.

Lahiri, currently a BJP MLA in West Bengal, is a former chief economic advisor to the government of India and a member of the 15th Finance Commission. He is not contesting the ongoing Assembly elections in the state.

Das is the director of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Bhopal. Prior to assuming this position, he was working as a professor and chair of the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hajipur, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Boehringer Ingelheim to Advance Pharmaceutical Research Collaboration in New Delhi. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Department of Pharmaceuticals, informed that the collaboration between NIPER Hajipur and Boehringer Ingelheim is expected to foster synergy between academia and industry.

It will contribute to the development of next-generation therapies and support the broader objective of building a robust, innovation-driven healthcare ecosystem in the country.

While addressing the event, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Manoj Joshi highlighted the pivotal role of academia-industry collaboration in bridging the gap between research and commercialisation and fostering innovation.

The 7th edition of the India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise Dustlik culminated today at Namangan in Uzbekistan. The Indian Armed Forces contingent, comprising 60 personnel, was represented by 45 personnel from the Indian Army and 15 from the Indian Air Force. The Uzbekistan contingent also had 60 personnel from the Uzbekistan Army and Air Force.

In a social media post, the Indian Army said the exercise enhanced preparedness for joint operations to neutralise unlawful armed groups. It said the exercise provided an opportunity to exchange best practices in counter-terrorism.

The aim of Exercise DUSTLIK is to strengthen military cooperation and enhance the ability to conduct joint operations in semi-mountainous terrain. The exercise emphasises a high level of physical fitness, coordinated planning, joint tactical drills, and the fundamentals of special arms skills.

The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the banking licence issued to Paytm Payments Bank Limited. In a statement, RBI said the bank is prohibited to conduct any business from immediate effect. The apex bank has however clarified that Paytm Payments Bank Limited has enough liquidity to repay its entire deposit liability upon winding up operations.

The RBI further informed that the action follows its orders dated March 2022 wherein the bank was directed to stop onboarding of new customers, followed by additional business restrictions imposed in early 2024, disallowing any further deposits, credits and top-ups in existing customer accounts and prepaid instruments, among others.

China on Friday announced it will send two giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta in the U.S., in Beijing’s latest efforts of panda diplomacy despite tensions with Washington, and less than a month before a much-anticipated visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing.

The China Wildlife Conservation Association said in a statement that male panda Ping Ping and female panda Fu Shuang, from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, will kick off a decade-long conservation cooperation under an agreement it signed with the zoo last year.

The association did not specify their departure date but said the U.S. side was actively carrying out facility upgrades, among other preparation work, to create a more comfortable and safer environment for the pair. In the meantime, Chinese experts were providing technical guidance on the upgrades, it said.

Noida International Airport (NIA) has appointed Nitu Sarma as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on an interim basis, until the Board of Directors conclude a formal selection process.

This change in leadership follows directions issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) that the Chief Executive Officer of an airport in India is required to be an Indian national.

BCAS recently rejected the security approval of Christoph Schenellmann, CEO of NIA, as he is a foreign national. Schnellmann, who has led the airport as CEO since August 2020, will join the airport’s Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chairman.

The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) has secured the 4th Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award, presented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) at the International Day of Women in Industry 2026 celebrations in Vienna on Wednesday (April 22, 2026).

Municipal Commissioner K. Mayur Ashok said the award was received on behalf of GMC by Sustainable Cities Project Manager and Industrial Development Officer Olga Rataj. Former Finnish President Tarja Halonen and senior UNIDO officials were among those at the event.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Bishkek on April 27–28 to attend the Defence Ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), where regional security challenges and evolving geopolitical dynamics are expected to dominate discussions.

A senior defence official confirmed that Mr. Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the high-level meeting, which will bring together defence ministers from SCO member states. Key issues on the agenda include terrorism, extremism, and regional security concerns amid shifting global alignments.

Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi has been inducted into the International Hall of Fame of the US Army War College today. Mr Dwivedi became the third person to receive this honour after General V K Singh and General Bikram Singh.

During his visit to the college, General Dwivedi addressed faculty and international student officers on leadership, professional military education, and evolving security dynamics. He also toured key facilities and participated in academic engagements, including panel discussions and reviewing advanced study projects under the Scholars Program. General Upendra Dwivedi is also an alumnus of the US Army War College.

Shiv Ratan Agarwal, chairman and whole-time director of Bikaji Foods International, is no more, according to the company’s stock exchange filing.

“A visionary entrepreneur and founder, Shri Shiv Ratan Agarwal was instrumental in shaping the company’s journey from its origins in Bikaner into a globally recognised packaged food enterprise. With over five decades of experience in the ethnic snacks and sweets industry, he built a strong foundation rooted in innovation, quality, and deep consumer understanding,” the company said in a statement.

The release also added that under Agarwal’s leadership, the ethnic snacks major evolved into one of India’s leading fast-moving consumer goods brands with a growing international footprint and a portfolio of products.