NASA operatives are currently seeking signs of ancient life and collecting rock samples on Mars via the Perseverance Rover. And one of the leading team members is Dr Akshata Krishnamurthy — the first Indian citizen to operate the rover. The scientist had travelled to the US 13 years ago for higher studies and faced numerous challenges as she carved out a space for herself.

“I came to the United States a little over 13 years ago with almost nothing but a dream to work at NASA and lead breakthrough science and robotic operations on Earth and Mars. Everyone I met told me that this was impossible as a foreign national on a visa, and that I should either have a plan B or change my field completely," she recalled in a recent Instagram post.

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid floral tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar on his 67th death anniversary which is observed as "Mahaparinirvan Diwas".

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and other parliamentarians also paid tribute to the architect of the Constitution at his statue in the Parliament premises.

Earlier, taking to his social media account on 'X', PM wrote, "Pujya Baba Saheb, along with being the architect of the Indian Constitution, was an immortal champion of social harmony, who dedicated his life for the welfare of the exploited and the deprived. My respectful obeisances to him today on his Mahaparinirvana day.

India will become the third largest economy by 2030, and the country's GDP is likely to grow from 6.4% in 2023 to 7% in 2026, a report released by S&P Global said on Tuesday. India is currently the fifth largest economy in the world behind the US, China, Germany and Japan.

"We see India reaching 7 percent in 2026-27 fiscal...India is set to become the third-largest economy by 2030, and we expect it will be the fastest-growing major economy in the next three years," S&P said.

Young Indian leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi on December 6 rose to the top spot in the ICC T20I bowling chart on the back of his recent player of the series-winning performance against Australia.

The 23-year-old was India's go-to bowler in the just-concluded series against Australia, taking nine wickets from five games.

Bishnoi, who is on 699 rating points, has jumped five places to displace Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan (692) from the top slot.

Japan has unveiled the world's largest operational experimental nuclear fusion reactor. This colossal machine, dubbed JT-60SA, is housed in a hangar north of Tokyo in Naka, and represents a pivotal moment in the quest for clean and limitless power.

Unlike traditional nuclear fission used in power plants, which splits atomic nuclei, fusion mimics the sun's energy production by merging two nuclei, potentially offering a safer and more abundant energy source.

The JT-60SA, a six-story-high tokamak, is designed to contain and control plasma heated to a staggering 200 million degrees Celsius. The objective is to explore the viability of fusion as a secure, expansive, and carbon-neutral net energy source, where the energy produced surpasses is more than the input required for its production.

Captain Geetika Koul has become the first woman medical officer in the Indian Army to be deployed at Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, the Fire and Fury Corps said on Tuesday.

This achievement follows her successful completion of rigorous induction training at the esteemed Siachen Battle School, which includes high-altitude acclimatization, survival techniques, and specialized medical procedures.

The Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army announced this milestone on social media, highlighting the significance of Captain Koul’s deployment in promoting gender inclusion within the military.

Eighty-one-year-old Indian-origin writer Meira Chand was among the three Singaporeans conferred the Cultural Medallion, the city-state's most prestigious arts accolade, in recognition of their artistic excellence and contribution to enriching the country's arts and culture scene.

Meira Chand, fellow novelist Suchen Christine Lim and Malay dance veteran Osman Abdul Hamid received the award from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony held at the Istana on Tuesday, The Straits Times newspaper reported.

The award comes with an SGD 80,000 (approximately ₹ 49 lakh) grant for each recipient to support their artistic pursuits.

The 6th edition of The CSR Journal Excellence Awards is all set to be held on 09 December 2023 at the Bombay Stock Exchange in Mumbai. Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, will grace the event as the Chief Guest and Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde, will be the Guest of Honour this year.

The CSR Journal Excellence Awards 2023 aims to honour innovative and best practices in Corporate Social Responsibility, recognising the best practices in six categories. These are Education & Skill Training, Women Empowerment & Child Welfare, Environment, Agriculture & Rural Development, Health & Sanitation and Sports.

The 5th Nagaland Honey Bee Day was celebrated under the theme- 'Bee & Honey Trials' today at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Minister T R Zeliang said Nagaland's unique tradition of beekeeping has a potential to be the epicenter of Apicultural activities due to abundant favorable climatic conditions, rich vegetation and ideal topography.

He said, under the guidance of the Nagaland Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) , the traditional beekeeping has transformed into a sustainable source of income for many in the state, contributing to economic sustainability.

Deputy Chief Minister praised the unique quality of Nagaland's honey, attributing its taste to the rich source of nutrition for honeybees acquired from the state's varied flora.

Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi has been named Time magazine's athlete of the year.

Messi joined Miami in July and scored 11 goals in 14 games in all competitions to help them lift the Leagues Cup, their first ever trophy.

The 36-year-old also won the Ballon d'Or for the eighth time in October.

"Lionel Messi this year managed to do what once seemed impossible, when he signed with Inter Miami: turning the US into a soccer country," read Time.