In a first in Delhi, a team of doctors at Ganga Ram Hospital successfully performed a bilateral hand transplant on a painter who lost both hands in a train accident in 2020. The highly complex surgery lasted for 12 hours.

According to Times Now, Meena Mehta, who served as the administrative head of a reputed school in South Delhi, pledged to donate her organs after her demise. Her kidneys, liver, and corneas have transformed the lives of three people, and her hands have been donated to the painter.

The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) announces the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships for Indian citizens, the Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement on Wednesday.

With the opening, USIEF began accepting applications from Indian citizens for the academic year 2025-2026.

The fellowship programme, funded by MEA, the government of India and the US Department of State helps to bring the citizens of India and the US closer through opportunities that enrich fellows' academic, research, trading and professional capacity, the statement said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to embark on its next lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4. Unlike its predecessor Chandrayaan-3, Chandrayaan-4 will be launched in two separate phases, utilising both the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) and the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). This mission is poised to achieve a significant milestone by not only landing on the Moon but also returning rocks and soil samples (lunar regolith) to Earth.

Chandrayaan-3 featured three main components: a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module. However, Chandrayaan-4, as outlined by ISRO chief S Somnath at the National Space Science Symposium, will be more intricate, comprising five spacecraft modules, each playing a specific role to guarantee the mission’s success.

Ramesh Singh Arora (48), a legislator from Narowal, became the first from the minority Sikh community to take oath as a minister in the Punjab province of Pakistan on Wednesday.

A three-time Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) from Narowal, Arora took oath as a minister in the Cabinet of recently sworn-in Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Chief Minister Maryam Nawaf Sharif, daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The ceremony was held at the Governor’s House in Lahore.

Maryam’s uncle Shehbaz Sharif was recently sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Yatin Bhaskar Duggal from Haryana won the first prize in the National Youth Parliament Festival, 2024, while Vaishna Pitchai from Tamil Nadu won the second prize and Kanishka Sharma from Rajasthan the third prize. Addressing the concluding session of the National Youth Parliament Festival in New Delhi today, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said youth’s thinking capability, ability to innovate and zeal to work will be instrumental in making India ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. He said that India will not only be a Viksit Bharat but will also show the path to the entire world. He further added that India today is moving towards modernisation and at the same time is keeping its heritage intact.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that the determined voice of youth shows the determination of India as a nation. He said that India has seen the positive use of technology and its movement from the fragile five to the top five economies of the world. He also said that India has moved from weak leadership to strong leadership and can today walk shoulder to shoulder with the world leaders. The Minister highlighted that in the last 10 years, the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has moved around 250 million poor out of multi-dimensional poverty.

NLC India Ltd announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary NLC India Green Energy Limited (NIGEL) has bagged a a 600-MW solar power project from Gujarat Urja Vikas Limited (GUVNL).

The subsidiary had been incorporated to carry out renewable energy projects, NLC India said in its stock exchange filing.

The proposed solar power project is at Khavda Solar Park, Bhuj District, Gujarat.

NLC India stock declined by 2.59 per cent on the NSE, to trade at ₹220.45 as of 1 pm.

President Droupadi Murmu today conferred Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for the Years 2022 and 2023 to ninety-four eminent artists at a function in New Delhi. The awards were given in the fields of music, dance, drama, folk and tribal arts, puppetry and allied theatre art forms. Besides the Akademi Awards, President Murmu also bestowed the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (Akademi Ratna) to seven eminent artists in the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, the President said performing arts hold a significant place in India's culture and tradition and since ancient times, art forms have been given high regard in the country. President  Droupadi Murmu added that art and artists have worked to weave the diversity of India into the thread of unity and by doing this, they have also fulfilled the fundamental duties enshrined in the Constitution. The President appreciated the Sangeet Natak Akademi for promoting various art forms for the last seven decades. She said that the work done by the Akademi in the field of performing arts and intangible heritage is very important.

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in the sixth round of Prague International Chess Festival 2024 Masters to retain the fourth spot in the tournament. Abdusattorov remains as the sole leader despite the loss.

On the other hand, India's Vidit Gujrathi went down against Germany's Vincent Keymer from a winning position. Gukesh D also lost his match against Mateusz Bartel of Poland. The Prague Chess Festival is taking place from February 27 to March 7 at Don Giovanni Hotel. Round 7 for Masters, Challengers and Futures will start today at 7:30 p.m. IST. 

Coal India subsidiary South Eastern Coalfield Limited’s Gevra mine is set to become the largest coal-producing mine in Asia.

The coal ministry in a statement on Tuesday said that the mine has been granted environmental clearance to expand production capacity to 70 million tonnes per annum from the current 52.5 million tonnes.

The mine is one of the megaprojects of Chhattisgarh-based SECL and is crucial to meet the production and supply targets of Coal India to meet the energy needs. Gevra became the largest coal mine in the country last year.

The Department of Higher Education (DHE), Assam on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) for the Jal Vidya Programme to educate the college students on water quality, wash practices and the functionality assessment of water supply schemes.

The MoU signing ceremony was held at the Auditorium Hall, Flood and River Erosion Management Agency of Assam (FREMAA), Assam Water Centre, Guwahati.

The convergence between JJM, Assam and the DHE is a watershed moment. Achieving a milestone Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) coverage of 75 per cent underscores the effectiveness of collaborative efforts.