Billionaire Gautam Adani-led group on Thursday announced the start of the first phase of the world's largest single-location copper manufacturing plant at Mundra in Gujarat, which will help cut India's dependence on imports and aid energy transition. Kutch Copper, a subsidiary of group's flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd, "commissioned the first phase" of USD 1.2 billion "greenfield copper refinery by dispatching the maiden batch of cathodes to customers", the company said in a statement.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t — the plight of a public sector banker is unenviable, especially when it comes to decision-making in high value credit. Stories are legion of officers hauled over the coals for having been part of credit decisions because a ”fraud” was declared subsequently.

S Raman, who retired as Chairman and Managing Director of Canara Bank, and as a wholetime Member of the board of SEBI, rose to the top, having started his career as a clerk with SBI. Within two years, he was selected as a direct recruit officer in Bank of India and rose meteorically to be an Executive Director in Union Bank and then as CMD of Canara. He hails from a middle class Tamil family in Hyderabad.

As occupational hazards go, Raman’s hardships started in 2018, years after he retired. He was chairman of the credit committee in 2011 and 2012 when the credit facilities to Winsome Jewellery were renewed. The bank’s share in the consortium limits was only 7.5 per cent.

The '6th Shaastra Rapid FIDE Rated Chess Tournament’ will witness the participation of six Grandmasters, sixteen International Masters, three Women Grandmasters and a Women International Master. Players from various countries will also participate in the event, informed IIT Madras.

“With the introduction of Sports Quota for UG admissions at IIT Madras, these events shall further reinforce our commitment to ensure holistic development of students as envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020," said Prof V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras.

The total prize fund of the tournament is ₹5,00,000 with the first prize being ₹65,000. The tournament not only offers substantial prize funds but also attracts a diverse range of players, mentioned the press release.

Haryana clinched the team titles in both the boys and girls categories with an impressive combined haul of 19 medals at the boxing Sub Junior National Championship.

Haryana, the reigning champion in the girls section, successfully defended its title after finishing on top of the table with 64 points. It won 10 medals including seven gold, one silver and two bronze.

Haryana boxers stamped their authority with a dominating display as six out of seven boxers won comfortably with unanimous 5-0 decisions.

Saudi Arabia officially joined the Miss Universe pageant with Rumy Alqahtani as the Islamic country's first-ever representative.

This is another step for Saudi Arabia, which has been shedding its conservative cloak under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

Rumy Alqahtani, a 27-year-old model, on Monday shared on Instagram that she would be the first participant from the country in the international beauty pageant.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has connected the strategic Nimmu-Padam-Darcha via road in Ladakh on Monday, officials said.

The road is now the third axis apart from Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh which connects Ladakh to the hinterland.

The Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road draws its strategic importance from the fact that it is not only shorter vis-a-vis the other two axis, but crosses only one pass; Shinkun La (at 16,558 feet) on which tunnel work is about to be commenced by the BRO.

This will result in the road having all weather connectivity to the Ladakh region. The connectivity will strengthen the defence preparedness and provide a boost to the economic development in the Zanskar valley.

Two months after the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) received a final order cancelling its licence under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), the chief executive of the think-tank, Yamini Aiyar, will step down from her current role “to devote more time to her research interests”.

According to a statement issued by the CPR, Dr Srinivas Chokkakula, senior fellow, CPR and Ministry of Jal Shakti Research chair, will take over as the think-tank’s president and chief executive from April 1.

Insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has emerged as the strongest insurance brand globally, according to a report Brand Finance Insurance 100 2024.

The report said that LIC's brand value remains steady at USD 9.8 billion, accompanied by a brand strength index score of 88.3 and an associated AAA brand strength rating.

Following LIC, the rankings highlight Cathay Life Insurance as the second strongest brand, experiencing a 9 per cent increase in brand value to USD 4.9 billion, closely followed by NRMA Insurance, which saw an 82 per cent rise in brand value to USD 1.3 billion, according to a statement by Brand Finance Insurance.

The Army Commanders’ Conference 2024, the first for the year 2024, will be organised in a hybrid mode. The conference will commence in virtual mode on 28 March 2024, followed by a physical gathering in New Delhi on 01 and 02 April 2024.
The first part of the Army Commanders’ Conference 2024 will be virtually on March 28, 2024, and the second part in physical mode on April 1, 2024, in New Delhi. The Army Commanders’ Conference 2024 will focus on key agendas related to the field army and veterans’ welfare, including the evolving geopolitical landscape and its ramifications for national security.

The deliberations will also include sessions on improving operational effectiveness, fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability, and investing in training and development programmes to ensure readiness for future challenges.The Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, and other senior officials from the Ministry of Defence will also address the conference. The event will also be attended by the Defence Secretary and other senior officials from the Ministry of Defence.

Reigning Olympic and Asian Games gold medalist in Javelin Throw, Neeraj Chopra joined Bollywood bigwigs like Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan as he was named the newest brand ambassador of Eveready on Thursday, March 21.

Eveready Industries India Ltd. (EIIL), in a press release, said, "This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Eveready as it seeks to strengthen its commitment towards excellence and innovation via the launch of the new Ultima Alkaline battery series. "

"With iconic campaigns like Give Me Red featuring legendary figures such as Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar, Eveready has become ingrained in the cultural fabric of the nation, defining generations with its innovative products and memorable," it further added.