Karnataka’s Shaon Ganguly has clinched the gold in the 400 metre Individual Medley as he clocked 4 minutes 24.64 at the 78th Senior National Aquatics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Madhya Pradesh’s Advait came second at 4 minutes 26.90 seconds while Gujarat’s Nehra finished third with a timing of 4 minutes 30.35 seconds.

Ganguly set the new Meet Record and improved on the National Record of 4 minutes 25.62 seconds held by Aryan Nehra, which he set in Hyderabad in 2023. Ganguly also bettered the Indian best in the 200 metre Individual Medley, surpassing Sajan Prakash’s 2023 mark.

In the 100 metre backstroke battle, Maharashtra’s Rishabh Das finished ahead of Utkarsh Patil by 16 microseconds. Rishabh surged ahead to touch in at 56.13 seconds while Utkarsh came second in 56.29. Karnataka’s Akash Mani came third in 56.35 seconds in the event. Earlier, Rishabh had shattered Srihari Nataraj’s national meet record and best Indian time, in men’s 200 metre backstroke, achieving the World Championships B qualification time.

India created history as the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying the Axiom-4 crew, including Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, gently docked with the International Space Station (ISS) at 4 p.m. this afternoon. With this, India has an astronaut in space after 41 years. Lucknow-born Shukla is also the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma’s flight in 1984. This historic mission carries four astronauts from the US, India, Poland, and Hungary to the ISS for a 14-day scientific expedition in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), docked with the Harmony module’s space-facing port. The Axiom-4 mission is not just a scientific feat but a testament to India’s rising stature as a global technology powerhouse. It reinforces the nation’s capability to lead space innovation, promote sustainability, and contribute meaningfully to global missions.

Shukla will conduct pioneering experiments related to food and space nutrition. These experiments, developed under a collaboration between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA, aim to enhance understanding of sustainable life-support systems, a crucial aspect of future long-duration space travel. The research will also study the effects of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae, a nutrient-rich, high-potential food source for future space missions. The experiment will evaluate key growth parameters and examine transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in different algal species in space compared to their behaviour on Earth.

Bihar will be among the first six states in India will get its first atomic plant under the country’s new Nuclear Energy Mission.

On Tuesday, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-based nuclear power plant in the state following the Centre’s approval.

The announcement comes ahead of assembly election in Bihar and comes after a meeting of eastern region power ministers, which included representatives from Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired the 47th Annual General Meeting of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) Society at Teen Murti Bhawan, New Delhi. Emphasizing the vital role of museums in connecting people with history, the Prime Minister outlined a comprehensive vision for the future of India’s museum landscape.

The Prime Minister proposed the creation of a “Museum Map of India,” a visionary initiative aimed at offering a unified cultural and informational platform showcasing museums across the country. He stressed the global significance of museums and their power to immerse people in historical experiences, calling for continuous efforts to enhance public interest and the societal standing of these institutions.

Highlighting the importance of technology, the Prime Minister suggested developing a national database of all museums in India. This database would include key performance indicators such as visitor footfall and quality benchmarks. He also advocated for regular workshops focused on capacity building and knowledge sharing among museum professionals.

In the lead-up to the National Quantum Workshop to be held in Amaravati on June 30, a curtain-raiser programme was held under the chairmanship of IT Secretary Katamaneni Bhaskar, in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

Top national and international experts from IBM, TCS, LTIMindtree, and the State government addressed the session, sharing insights on how quantum computing can transform sectors such as healthcare, finance, logistics, education, cybersecurity, and research.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Secretary Pradyumna emphasised that quantum computing is a fast, accurate, and revolutionary technology already being adopted globally. “From banking and defence to healthcare and education, quantum technology is entering lives faster than expected,” he said, noting that Andhra Pradesh, with its strong IT talent, is well-positioned to lead this technological revolution. He announced that the government will establish the Quantum Valley Centre in Amaravati by January 2026, and affirmed the State’s commitment to the National Quantum Mission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired the 48th edition of PRAGATI — the Centre’s multi-level, ICT-enabled platform aimed at ensuring proactive governance and timely implementation of key schemes and projects.

During the session, the Prime Minister reviewed critical infrastructure projects across the Mines, Railways, and Water Resources sectors. These projects were examined with a focus on timelines, coordination among agencies, and resolution of pending issues.

The PM stressed that delays in project execution result in escalating costs and deprive citizens of timely access to services and infrastructure. He urged officials across ministries and state governments to adopt a result-oriented approach, calling for stronger inter-agency coordination and time-bound delivery.

Bangladesh, China and Pakistan held an informal trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation meeting in Kunming on Thursday. A Bangladesh foreign ministry’s press release issued last night said, Bangladesh’s former Acting Foreign Secretary, Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Pakistani Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui led their respective delegations in the meeting.

During the meeting, the three sides exchanged views on possible trilateral cooperation on the basis of mutual trust, understanding and shared vision for peace, prosperity and stability in the region, the release added. They identified several areas for deeper cooperation, including infrastructure, connectivity, trade, investment, healthcare, agriculture, maritime affairs, ICT, disaster preparedness and climate change issues, it added.

The three sides agreed to forge cooperation on the principles of openness, inclusivity, good neighbourliness and a win-win situation.

India and South Africa signed two agreements in the domain of submarine cooperation during the 9th Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday and Tuesday.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh led the Indian delegation to the meeting, during which he highlighted India’s growing prowess in defence manufacturing and exports and reiterated India’s commitment to strengthening relations with South Africa.

Areas of mutual interest were discussed and the way forward for further strengthening India-South Africa relations were also identified at the meeting, a Defence Ministry statement said.

An antique lamp, believed to be from the 15th century, with very rare Shaiva and Vaishnavaite sculptures has been found in the Anantapadmanabha temple at Perduru in Udupi district of Karnataka.

The other side of the antique lamp with very rare Shaiva and Vaishnavaite sculptures that was found in the Anantapadmanabha temple at Perduru in Udupi district of Karnataka.

“It is a rare blend of Shiva and Vishnu, and reflects the daily rituals of both the cults in the temple,” said T. Murugeshi, a retired Associate Professor of ancient history and archaeology, Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty College, Shirva, Udupi district.

The lamp was donated by Basavannaras Banga to the temple in 1,456 A.D. This is mentioned in a stone inscription, which is in the inner prakara of the temple.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has increased the auto-settlement limit for advance claims from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, helping subscribers access funds quickly for medical treatment, marriage, housing, or education.

Claims will be processed automatically and settled within three working days, said the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in a statement on Tuesday.

The auto-settlement facility was introduced during Covid-19 to enable quick disbursal of EPF advances, according to PIB. It was later extended to cover non-pandemic purposes such as medical treatment, children’s education, marriage, and housing.

The system automatically processes claims without manual checks, ensuring transparency, speed, and minimal delays.