The India Pavilion, christened Bharat Mandap, has emerged as one of the top five most admired pavilions at the ongoing World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, according to Yamamoto-san, Deputy Pavilion Director and representative of the Japan Travel Bureau (JTB). Competing alongside pavilions from the United States, Italy, France, and Japan, Bharat Mandap has captivated visitors with its seamless blend of India’s ancient cultural heritage and modern aspirations, earning praise from Expo officials, Japanese locals, and global social media audiences.

For the first time, the Ministry of Culture has taken the helm in curating the India Pavilion, a responsibility previously held by the Ministry of Commerce. The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) was appointed as the nodal agency to design and execute this international showcase, which will remain open to the public until October 13. Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA, described the Pavilion as a “comprehensive reflection of India’s ancient knowledge systems, modern technological aspirations, and growing global footprint.”

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 11 years of his tenure, senior Advocate and former President of Supreme Court Bar Association Adish Aggarwala has come up with a book capturing this journey.

The book titled ‘Modi’s Niti Shastra: The World’s His Oyster’ reflects upon the Prime Minister’s transformative impact in politics, economics, social equity, citizen welfare, national security, and governance.

Home Minister Amit Shah praised the release of the book, calling it “a matter of abundant joy" as the NDA government marks 11 years in power.

Shah also emphasised that the book provides a profound analysis of India’s legal transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, highlighting the sweeping reforms that have reshaped the nation’s legislative landscape.

Long before the rise of the Harappan civilisation, the vast expanses of the Kachchh region in Gujarat were home to thriving prehistoric hunter-gatherer communities. A recent study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), in collaboration with experts from IIT Kanpur (IITK), Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) Delhi, and Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad, has uncovered compelling archaeological evidence that pushes back the human presence in this region by at least five thousand years before the arrival of the Harappans.

These early communities inhabited a mangrove-dominated landscape and relied on shell species (both bivalves like oysters and gastropods), naturally adapted to such environments, as a significant food source. “While British surveyors had previously noted shell accumulations in the area, these were not recognised as shell-midden sites, the heaps of discarded shells from human consumption,” explained Prof VN Prabhakar, an Associate Professor at the Archaeological Science Centre in the department of Earth Sciences at IITGN and lead investigator of the study. “Our study is the first to identify these sites, confirm their cultural significance, and establish a chronological context.”

Economist S. Mahendra Dev has been appointed the new chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), a person informed about the development said. Dev, till Thursday an independent director with Axis Bank, will take charge of the position on Friday, said the person, who spoke on condition of not being named.

Earlier in the day, Axis Bank informed stock exchanges that Dev had resigned from its board owing to his appointment as chairman of the EAC-PM, which is a full-time position.

EAC-PM did not have a full-time chairman since last November, when its first chairman Bibek Debroy passed away. NITI Aayog vice chairman Suman Bery has been holding the additional charge of EAC-PM since then.

Star Indian spin bowler Piyush Chawla has officially retired from all forms of Cricket. After a 20-year professional career, Chawla made the announcement of retirement from international and domestic Cricket through his social media page.

The 36-year-old played three Tests, 25 ODIs and seven T20Is, with his last appearance for India coming back in 2012 at the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. Moreover, Chawla was part of the winning Indian squad during the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup and then 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. The BCCI also thanked Chawla for a memorable career in a social media post.

Eminent scholar and author Daji Panshikar, known for his deep knowledge of Indian epics and contributions to Marathi literature, passed away at his residence in Maharashtra’s Thane following a brief illness. He was 92. Panshikar was widely respected for his scholarly interpretations of texts like the Mahabharata, Eknaathi Bhagwat, and Bhavarth Ramayan.

His insightful commentary and lectures earned him a prominent place in Maharashtra’s intellectual and cultural landscape. Panshikar also played a key role in the theatre world as a guiding force behind the organisation Natyasampada Natya Sanstha. His final rites will be held today at the Jawahar Bagh Crematorium.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid tribute to the renowned author, also known as Narahari Vishnu Shastri, calling him a vital link in the scholarly tradition that highlighted the richness of Indian culture and saintly literature. He also acknowledged Panshikar’s significant role in popularising interpretations of epic texts during his time.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (June 6, 2025) launched the Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag (BBA), or Indian Languages Section, to provide an organised platform for all Indian languages to move towards “freeing the administration from the influence of foreign languages”.

The Minister said that the Section will incorporate the linguistic diversity of India, adding that “our potential” can be fully exploited only when “our processes of thinking, analysis and decision-making are in our mother tongue.”

“By strengthening all the local languages of the country, we can take India to its eternal glorious position,” the Minister said. All the languages are connected to each other, he claimed.

India and Central Asian countries have expressed interest in joint exploration of rare earth and critical minerals. In the Joint Statement released following the 4th meeting of India-Central Asia Dialogue held in New Delhi yesterday under the chairship of External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, the participating nations encouraged exchange of delegations to explore new areas of cooperation in critical minerals.

Foreign Affairs Ministers of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan attended the meeting. Appreciating the outcomes of the first India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum held in September last year in New Delhi, the Ministers called upon the relevant authorities to hold the second India-Central Asia Rare Earth Forum meeting at the earliest convenience.

In the Joint Statement, India and Central Asian countries also emphasized the importance of greater financial connectivity between them, particularly through digital payment systems.

French aerospace major Dassault Aviation and India’s Tata Advanced Systems Limited have signed four agreements to jointly manufacture the fuselage of Rafale fighter aircraft in India that will mark production of the critical component for the first time outside France. It is a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains.

A joint press release issued by the companies said, the facility represents a significant investment in India’s aerospace infrastructure and will serve as a critical hub for high-precision manufacturing. Under the partnership, Tata Advanced Systems will set up a cutting-edge production facility in Hyderabad for the manufacture of key structural sections of the Rafale aircraft. As per the deal, the first fuselage sections are expected to roll off the assembly line in 2028. The facility is expected to deliver up to two complete fuselages per month.

As a reminder that safe food is a need rather than a luxury, June 7 has been designated as World Food Safety Day. This day serves as a reminder that food security, economic advancement, and good health all depend on safe food. It is the life-saving and community-wide benefits of safe food. In order to avoid, identify, and control food hazards, World Food Safety Day 2025 calls for action.

Every year, millions of people fall ill due to contaminated food. Neglecting food safety greatly increases the risk to public health. By making informed choices and advocating for safer food practices, we can all help build a healthier future.