India on Sept. 30 launched BharatGen, an initiative to make generative AI available to citizens in different Indian languages, with Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh asserting that it was the world's first State-funded project of its kind.

Spearheaded by IIT Bombay under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), the initiative will create generative AI systems that can generate high-quality text and multimodal content in various Indian languages.

The initiative was launched by Principal Scientific Advisor A K Sood, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Abhay Karandikar, Department of Telecommunications Secretary Neeraj Mittal among others. The S&T Minister has sent a video message for the event.

On orders from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has established collaborative research facilities called DRDO-industry-academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoE), at premier academic institutes in the country.

These include “directed research ecosystems” that pursue collaboration among DRDO laboratories, and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi).

“DIA-CoEs will pursue research both in developing cutting-edge technologies and in the areas of denied defence technologies,” says its website.

October 2nd marks Gandhi Jayanti, a day that honours Mahatma Gandhi‘s birth anniversary, recognising his crucial contributions to India’s independence movement.

Affectionately referred to as Bapu and recognised as the “Father of the Nation,” the title “Mahatma,” meaning “great soul,” was given to him by Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore in 1915.

Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Porbandar, Gujarat, on October 2, 1869, this year, India will celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 155th birth anniversary on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

Seniors are the backbone of our society, shouldering countless responsibilities while passing down invaluable wisdom and rich traditions to the younger generation. To honour their vital role, we celebrate the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 each year — a day dedicated to recognising the contributions of older citizens. This special occasion not only highlights their significance as societal leaders but also sheds light on the challenges they face, reminding us all to appreciate and support the incredible legacy they create.

The theme for the 34th International Day of Older Persons is “Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar will honour national toppers in the field of disability rehabilitation and special education in New Delhi tomorrow. Dr. Kumar will attend a convocation ceremony organized by the National Rehabilitation Examination Board, an entity affiliated with the Rehabilitation Council of India under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The event will also be attended by Ministers of State of Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma and Ramdas Athawale.

This convocation aims to celebrate the achievements of students who have demonstrated excellence in special education and rehabilitation services. The event will not only acknowledge academic brilliance but also emphasize skill development and professional commitment, inspiring future generations. The teacher and parents of the National Toppers are also invited to the event.

U.S President Joe Biden has approved 567 million dollars in defense support for Taiwan. According to the White House, Biden has delegated the Secretary of State the authority to direct the drawdown of up to 567 million dollars in defense articles, services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training to provide assistance to Taiwan.

In April this year, Biden signed a hard-fought bill into law that provides billions of dollars of new US aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia, as well as for Israel and Taiwan.

The 8th edition of the India-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise, KAZIND-2024, commenced Monday at the Surya Foreign Training Node in Auli, Uttarakhand.

This joint exercise will run from September 30 to October 13, 2024, and aims to strengthen military cooperation between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in an official press release.

The Indian Armed Forces are represented by 120 personnel, primarily from a battalion of the KUMAON Regiment of the Indian Army. Additional personnel from other arms and services, as well as the Indian Air Force, are also participating.

SBI Card in partnership with Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) on Monday announced the launch of its co-branded credit card with a host of features.

KrisFlyer SBI Card is Singapore Airlines' first co-branded credit card in India. This co-branded credit card has been designed to cater to super-premium cardholders, offering exclusive privileges in the air and on the ground with the SIA Group that comprises Singapore Airlines, Scoot airline, KrisShop.Com, Kris+ lifestyle app and Pelago, a joint statement said.

The newly launched credit card is available in two variants, KrisFlyer SBI Card and KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex, it said. With this partnership, KrisFlyer SBI Card customers will unlock a range of accelerated rewards and milestone benefits on their travel spends, it said.

Hygenco Green Energies has floated India’s largest tender for the procurement of Renewable Energy (RE) for its upcoming Green Ammonia project. “Hygenco Green Energies Pvt Ltd, a pioneer in producing low-cost green hydrogen, has invited bids for over 1,125 Megawatt (MW)/ 1.1 Gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy, to support its upcoming Green Ammonia Project. This is the largest tender for procuring renewable power for a green ammonia project in India, reinforcing Hygenco’s continued commitment to sustainability,” said the company in a statement on Monday.

Hygenco aims to procure 625 MW from solar PV projects and 500 MW through wind power. “The tender offers favourable terms to minimise risk for developers and ensures a transparent procurement process, attracting a broad range of participants in the renewable energy sector,” the company said. Bidders can evaluate the tender on Hygenco’s official website, https://www.hygenco.in/, it added.

IL&FS Group on Monday announced the appointment of Nand Kishore as its new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) effective from October 1. Kishore is the Managing Director of IL&FS at present, the company said in a statement.

He has been appointed as the CMD of IL&FS with effect from October 1 by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the statement said.

Former bureaucrat CS Rajan was serving as the company's Chairman.

"After six years of playing an invaluable role in providing leadership and stability while resolving one of corporate India's biggest financial crises, the term of CS Rajan, Chairman, IL&FS, has come to an end on September 30, 2024," the statement said.

The new board initially took time to understand the complexities and entanglements with more than five layers within the structure of IL&FS. The new board first dedicated itself to keeping all the assets alive and creating a sustainable and legally acceptable resolution framework that could be applied across the over 300 companies within the group, the outgoing Chairman said.