The Government e Marketplace (GeM) commemorated six years of Startups, Women, and Youth Advantage through eTransactions (SWAYATT) initiative at its New Delhi headquarters (HQ) on February 19, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a release on Tuesday.

Launched on 19 February 2019, SWAYATT was conceptualised with the clear objective of invigorating the participation of women-led enterprises and youth in public procurement.

Rooted in GeM's foundational pillar of social inclusion, SWAYATT is the portal's commitment to enhancing the ease of doing business and establishing direct market linkages to annual public procurement for startups, women entrepreneurs, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and youth, especially those from backward sections of society.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry on Thursday entered into a historic partnership with the Startup Policy Forum (SPF), a reputed industry organisation representing India’s leading new-age companies.

Pertinently, the SPF Baithak—a gathering of founders and policymakers—would be organised on January 15-16 here at Bharat Mandapam, as part of National Startup Week celebrations. The event will offer a meaningful platform to announce new collaborations between DPIIT and SPF members. Additionally, SPF will partner with DPIIT to organize specialized immersive programs, enabling global investors to engage with Indian startups and witness firsthand the groundbreaking innovations emerging from across the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary, Startup India, Shri Sanjiv said that this strategic collaboration with SPF underscores DPIIT’s unflinching commitment to create a congenial atmosphere where startups could thrive and contribute immensely to India’s mission of becoming a global innovation hub.

Adding further he said the SPF members represent the essence of India’s entrepreneurial spirit and their participation in this mission will play a crucial role in achieving the goal of developed India by 2047.

Renowned Gujarati poet and essayist Anil Joshi, known for his works such as Kadach and Statue, and for returning his 1990 Sahitya Akademi award to protest attacks on literary writers in 2015, passed away after a brief hospitalisation on Wednesday. He was 85.

Joshi was hospitalised earlier this month for treatment for an age-related illness. He passed away at his Mumbai residence early in the morning, according to his son, Sanket, who posted the news on social media. Born into an affluent bureaucrat family in Rajkot, Anil Joshi’s tryst with poetry began after an eye injury forced him to abandon his dream of a cricketing career. The eldest among five brothers and four sisters, Joshi went on to achieve many literary laurels in Gujarat and Mumbai, where he moved in the 1970s.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X and said, “Saddened to hear the news of the demise of Anil Joshi… His contribution to modern Gujarati literature will always be remembered… Prayers for the peace of the departed soul and condolences to the bereaved family and readers…”

The Ministry of Ayush has conferred the prestigious ‘National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards’ for the current year on three distinguished practitioners for their exceptional contributions to the field of traditional Indian medicine.

This year’s recipients are Vaidya Tara Chand Sharma, a renowned Nadi Vaidya and author; Vaidya Maya Ram Uniyal, a distinguished scholar of Dravyaguna Vigyana with six decades of service; and Vaidya Sameer Govind Jamadagni, founder of the Vishwa Vyakhyanmala national conference.

Each recipient received a citation, a trophy featuring the statue of Lord Dhanwantari, and a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, according to the ministry.

“The awards showcase India’s immense contribution to global healthcare. These visionaries have demonstrated exceptional dedication in promoting Ayurveda worldwide, perfectly aligning with our mission to integrate traditional wisdom with modern healthcare systems,” said Prataprao Jadhav, Union Minister of State (IC), Ministry of Ayush.

Punjab National Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

The MoU was signed by Sh. S.P. Singh, GM, PNB, and Sh. S.C. Mamgain, IG (Admn), at the ITBP Headquarters, CGO Complex, New Delhi.

The exchange took place in the presence of Sh. Binay Kumar Gupta, CGM, PNB; Sh. Vikash Burman, DIG (Admn), and other senior officials from both PNB and ITBP.

Several benefits, including PAI coverage of Rs 100 lakh and AAI coverage of Rs 150 lakh, are being offered to ITBP personnel, pensioners, their dependents, and the families of Rakshak Account holders. PNB remains committed to serving the armed forces.

A recent move by the European Union (EU) has raised eyebrows after officials classified caffeine as “harmful to humans if swallowed” under new chemical safety guidelines.

The decision, which also includes banning caffeine as a pesticide, was based on scientific assessments highlighting potential risks to the heart, hydration, and nervous system. While the regulation primarily targets its use in agriculture, the ruling has ignited concerns about how future policies might affect everyday caffeine consumption.

In banning its application to agriculture, the European Commission said scientific evidence from the European Food Safety Authority showed “caffeine has adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, hydration and body temperature in adults, as well as on the central nervous system (sleep, anxiety, behavioural changes) in adults and children, and an adverse birth weight-related outcome in pregnant women.”

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India on Monday (February 24, 2025) signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) on areas ranging from data security and governance to Artificial Intelligence-driven capacity building and research in environment audit, and the environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework.

IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti delivered a speech as part of the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar lecture series at the CAG’s office, and spoke about how the institution and the CAG could collaborate on sharing digital technology to enhance audit work.

In his address, CAG Sanjay K. Murthy said that, soon, everything would be on digital trail and, therefore, there was a need for capacity building to ensure job effectiveness and efficiency. Among the MoUs lined up in this regard was the first with IIT Madras, in which critical fields, including cyber security and the need to update manuals and protocol systems, had been covered. It is also aimed at developing a guidance on how to audit entities increasingly having digital data.

The Indian Navy crew that will operate Tamal, the stealth frigate under construction in Russia, reached St. Petersburg last week in preparation for its commissioning, which is expected to take place in early June.

The event is significant as Tamal will be the last warship to be commissioned outside India or imported. The country now designs and constructs its own warships.

The commissioning crew of around 200 personnel reached St. Petersburg around 10 days ago for training as the ship will undergo a series of trials leading up to its commissioning, officials sources in the know confirmed. The crew will shift to Kaliningrad after the training to oversee the trials.

A DELHI court on Tuesday sentenced former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment in a murder case linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Kumar is currently in Tihar Jail, where he is serving a life sentence handed by the Delhi High Court in 2018, in another 1984 riots case related to the killing of five Sikhs in Palam Colony.

In Tuesday’s case, the prosecution had accused Kumar of leading a mob that burned alive Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984, and destroyed and looted their houses.

Railways will sanction a third grant to IIT Madras for commercialisation of Hyperloop technology, and also plan on the implementation of a 40-50 km corridor in India, said Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

He made this announcement through a virtual address at the end of the four-day Asia’s first Global Hyperloop Competition, which was organised by IIT Madras at its Discovery Campus in Thayur.

The announcement reinforces India’s position as a leader in next-generation mobility, providing the necessary push toward large-scale Hyperloop deployment, says a release.

IIT Madras, in collaboration with Indian Railways, has been working towards the development of Hyperloop technology along with TuTr Hyperloop, a deep-tech startup incubated at IIT Madras.