The Government e-Marketplace, GeM, has achieved a cumulative Gross Merchandise Value GMV of 18.4 lakh crore rupees, including crossing five lakh crore rupees GMV in the financial year 2025-26. Addressing the media in New Delhi this afternoon, Chief Executive Officer of GeM, Mihir Kumar, stated that crossing a cumulative GMV of 18.4 lakh crore rupees reflects the confidence of buyers, sellers and institutions in a transparent and technology-driven procurement ecosystem. He said this milestone reflects GeM’s growing role as a public digital platform enabling large-scale procurement across government entities. Mr Kumar said the platform facilitates procurement decisions, connects enterprises across regions to government demand and promotes economic inclusion, sustainability and transparency in public spending. He said the platform continues to evolve as a transparent, efficient and inclusive digital public procurement system, contributing to strengthening India’s public economy.

Indian shooters Palak Gulia and Mukesh Nelavalli won a gold medal with a new junior world record in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup at Granada in Spain yesterday.

The duo scored a total of 487.7 points in the final, eclipsing the previous record of 481.3 created by Uzbekistan’s Nigina Saidkulova and Mukhammad Kamalov at the Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi earlier this year. Palak scored 243.0, while Mukesh, making his senior debut, scored 244.7, This was Nelavalli’s maiden medal of any colour at ISSF World Cups.

Earlier, they performed well in the qualification round too, finishing second with a score of 581-17x and reaching the medal match. China’s team won silver with 484.8 points, and Hungary took bronze with 414.9.

18-year-old Palak had earlier won gold in the individual event and silver in the team event at the 2023 Asian Games, where she also set a record and earned a quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Mukesh is another rising star in Indian pistol shooting and is a junior world champion.

Global chip design and manufacturing major Intel on Tuesday elevated its India managing director and vice president, Santhosh Viswanathan, to head the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region.

In the new role, Viswanathan will lead Intel’s overall business, brand, and customer engagements across both the Asia Pacific and Japan regions, the company said.

“APJ is one of the most diverse and fast-growing regions in the world, and its strength lies in its people, partners, and technology ecosystems,” Viswanathan said.

A company veteran of over two decades, Viswanathan has also worked for Intel in leadership positions across the Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand markets.

The universe is at it again; scientists have been baffled by a discovery that turns all the knowledge they have on planetary systems on its head. Scientists have discovered an alien solar system around 120 light-years away from our planet. This alien solar system apparently consists of two Earth-like planets, but the whole composition is completely unconventional according to scientists. Unlike the layout of the planets in our solar system, where rocky planets are located near the sun and gas giants far from the sun, this solar system breaks the norms altogether.

Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Mohsina Kidwai passed away on Wednesday (April 8, 2026), her family said. She was 94.

Ms. Kidwai passed away at Noida's Metro Hospital early in the morning. She was suffering from age-related ailments, her son-in-law Razi Ur Rehman Kidwai said.

She will be cremated at the graveyard in Nizamuddin around 5 p.m., he said.

Ms. Kidwai is a former Union Minister who held important portfolios in the Rajiv Gandhi government. She has been a member of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha at various points in time.

Ms. Kidwai has also served as a member of the Congress Working Committee and the party's Central Election Committee in the past.

Project Chetak of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 47th Raising Day at Bikaner in Rajasthan yesterday, marking over four decades of dedicated service in the strategically important regions of the western sector.

The Ministry of Defence, in a statement, said that on this day in 1980, the project played a vital role in developing and maintaining infrastructure in Rajasthan, Punjab and the northern parts of Gujarat. It added that infrastructures constructed by BRO are connecting border areas, and it is contributing to national security as well as regional development.

The Ministry noted that with its motto “Chetak ka Prayas, Desh ka Vikas”, Project Chetak is one of the largest projects of the BRO in terms of geographical area. The project has covered more than 4 thousand kilometres of road network and 2 hundred 14 kilometers of Ditch Cum Bund. It supports the Defence Forces by maintaining key feeder roads towards the International Border, with continuous efforts underway to upgrade them to National Highway Double Lane specifications.

Divya Singh, a 28-year-old teacher from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, has made history by becoming the first Indian woman and second woman globally to reach the Mount Everest Base Camp (EBC) on a bicycle. Starting her journey from Kathmandu, she successfully reached the base camp at an altitude of 17,560 feet after a gruelling 14-day expedition.

During the journey, she battled freezing temperatures reaching as low as -12°C, thinning oxygen levels, and high-velocity winds. Singh cycled for 10 to 12 hours daily through rugged mountain paths, including steep climbs and uneven trails. In areas where the terrain was impassable, she carried her bicycle on her shoulders rather than turning back. Her path from Kathmandu included challenging stretches through Saleri, Surke, Phakding, Namche Bazaar, Lobuche, and finally Gorakshep before reaching the base camp.

Researchers have created a nanoscale structure that traps infrared light in a layer just 40 nanometres thick--over 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. By using a unique material with exceptional light-bending properties, they can confine and intensify light far beyond previous limits.

This setup also dramatically boosts light conversion effects, turning infrared into visible blue light. The advance could pave the way for smaller, faster photonic technologies.

Researchers from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, working with teams from the Lodz University of Technology, the Warsaw University of Technology, and the Polish Academy of Sciences, have created a structure capable of trapping infrared light in a layer just 40 nanometres thick.

Coforge is reshaping its leadership structure as it sharpens its focus on execution and AI-led transformation across its global operations.

Elevates leadership role

Coforge has promoted Sunil Fernandes to the position of Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Previously serving as Executive Vice President and Global Delivery Head, Fernandes will now oversee global delivery along with key operational functions, including administration, facilities, and internal IT services. He will continue reporting to CEO Sudhir Singh, ensuring leadership continuity.

India has sent Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief materials to Afghanistan, which is currently facing a difficult situation due to recent floods and earthquakes. In a social media post, External Affairs Ministry said that the aid includes kitchen sets, hygiene kits, plastic sheets, tarpaulins, sleeping bags, and other essential items. The ministry said that India stands in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and remains fully committed to extending humanitarian assistance and support during this challenging time.