More than 600 students have received refunds of Rs 1.56 crore from coaching institutes after the intervention of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

According to an official statement on Saturday, the department has "successfully secured refunds amounting to Rs 1.56 crore for over 600 aspirants and students in the education sector."

These students, enrolled in coaching centres for civil services, engineering courses and other programmes, were previously denied rightful refunds despite following the terms and conditions set forth by the coaching institutes, it added.

The relief was made possible through grievances filed by the students via the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which facilitated a streamlined process for dispute resolution.

Papal thriller “Conclave” claimed the top prize on Sunday at Hollywood’s Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Timothee Chalamet’s portrayal of Bob Dylan made him the surprise best actor winner, at the last major honors ahead of next weekend’s Oscars.

The “Conclave” cast of Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini won best movie ensemble at the SAG Awards, a red-carpet ceremony that streamed live on Netflix. The film tells the story of the secret maneuvering at the Vatican during the selection of a fictional pope.

Fiennes spoke on behalf of the cast about the need for supportive communities, in filmmaking and in life, as he accepted the SAG trophy on stage in downtown Los Angeles.

“We do recognize the supreme importance of (community) in our work and in the world,” Fiennes said. “That’s what we’re celebrating tonight.”

A day after addressing the issue in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday nominated 10 prominent figures from various fields to spearhead a nationwide campaign against obesity. Among them is Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has enthusiastically joined the movement.

“As mentioned in yesterday's #MannKiBaat, I would like to nominate the following people to help strengthen the fight against obesity and spread awareness on reducing edible oil consumption in food. I also request them to nominate 10 people each so that our movement gets bigger!” PM Modi wrote on X.

The second edition of the “India in Bahrain Festival” drew more than 2,000 visitors to Dana Mall in Sanabis, showcasing India’s cultural diversity through performances, art, and cuisine. The event, organized by the Indian Embassy in collaboration with Lulu Hypermarket Bahrain and Dana Mall, took place on February 21.

Indian Ambassador to Bahrain, Vinod K. Jacob, inaugurated the festival, which featured performances by 17 Indian community associations presenting classical and folk traditions from various regions of India. The event, part of the Ministry of External Affairs’ Promotion of Cultural Ties with Diaspora (PCTD) initiative, also included an art exhibition titled ‘India Through My Eyes,’ featuring 42 paintings by 20 artists.

Visitors explored stalls run by over 20 Indian community associations, offering traditional handicrafts and authentic cuisine. The Embassy provided additional support through a dedicated consular services counter.

The festival’s success underscores the Embassy’s ongoing efforts to strengthen cultural bonds between India and its diaspora community in Bahrain, while promoting cultural exchange between the two nations.

The Indian technology industry is projected to achieve $300 billion in revenue by the financial year 2026, according to a report by Nasscom. For the current fiscal year (FY25), the sector is expected to add approximately 126,000 net new employees, bringing the total workforce to 5.8 million.

Amid evolving global economic conditions and shifting market dynamics, FY25 has been a year of strategic resilience. Segments such as engineering research and development (ER&D) and global capability centers (GCCs) have been key growth drivers for India’s technology sector.

The Annual Strategic Review 2025 by Nasscom highlighted that the industry grew by 5.1% during FY25, adding $13.8 billion in incremental revenue. This increase has taken the sector’s total revenue, including hardware, to over $282.6 billion.

In a landmark initiative, the Indian Navy has handed over the decommissioned Landing Ship Tank INS Guldar to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) for conversion into India’s first underwater museum and artificial reef.

The conversion process will involve a thorough cleaning of the ship to remove any potential pollutants or hazardous materials, ensuring environmental clearances as per guidelines.

The project to convert the ship into an underwater museum and artificial reef holds significant potential for showcasing marine conservation, creating livelihood opportunities for coastal communities, and elevating India’s stature in underwater tourism.

The 2025 Financial Literacy Week was initiated by the Reserve Bank of India, an annual initiative aimed at promoting financial awareness among the people. This year, the campaign runs from February 24 to 28, under the theme “Financial Literacy—Women’s Prosperity.”.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the campaign was launched by Abhishek Mazumdar, General Manager, RBI Regional Office Itanagar, in a function held at DK Convention Centre in Itanagar today. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Mazumdar said that the theme this year emphasizes empowering women financially and socially.

He asked the bankers to reach out to the customers and encourage them to use all the digital financial and banking apps provided by the government and the banks. He also asked them to create awareness about the risks and precautions while using these platforms.

India is set to transform into a high-income country with a projected GDP of $23–$35 trillion by 2047, driven by sustained annual growth of 8-10 percent, according to a report on Thursday.

This will be powered by India’s demographic dividend, technological innovation, and sectoral transformation, according to the report by Bain & Company and Nasscom.

With nearly 200 million individuals expected to enter the workforce in the coming decades, India has a unique opportunity to drive high-value job creation and unlock significant economic potential.

Five key sectors, including electronics, energy, chemicals, automotive, and services, would act as strategic growth levers due to alignment with global trends and scalability, with the potential to address India’s unique challenges and advantages.

Rising income, a growing pool of skilled workers, and continuous improvements in infrastructure are some of the key factors that can fuel this growth, said the report.

India’s National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Sri Lanka’s Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) have finalised the modalities for the implementation of their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train 1,500 Sri Lankan civil service officers over five years.

An NCGG delegation, led by Director General Dr. Surendrakumar Bagde, visited Sri Lanka to firm up modalities. The delegation met key officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Public Administration Minister Dr. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna.

Discussions at SLIDA resulted in an agreement to conduct around eight training modules annually. The MoU was signed between the two countries during the visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to New Delhi in December 2024.

The first training module for 40 Sri Lankan officers will be held soon. Notably, even before the MoU’s signing, over 200 Sri Lankan officers had already undergone training at NCGG.

The 9th Asia Economic Dialogue is being organised from tomorrow in Pune, Maharashtra. The Asia Economic Dialogue is External Affairs Ministry’s annual flagship ‘Track 1.5 Dialogue’ on Geoeconomics. The three-day Dialogue is being co-hosted in collaboration with Pune International Centre. The theme of the Dialogue is “Economic Resilience and Resurgence in an Era of Fragmentation.” The Dialogue will explore key contemporary topics in geo-economics, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, economic imperatives of Cyber Security, and facets of Blue Economy in Indian Ocean Region and beyond. It also aims to address the complexities of economic fragmentation and identify actionable pathways for resilience and resurgence. Asia Economic Dialogue 2025 will bring together political leaders and senior government officials, academicians, policymakers, and industry experts from India and abroad for deliberations.