India Sees Strong Bank Deposit Growth, Reflecting Positive Economic Sentiment

Business

India Sees Strong Bank Deposit Growth, Reflecting Positive Economic Sentiment

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Mumbai, July 11: Rising bank deposits in India indicate stronger capital flows, improved savings, and growing confidence in the country’s economic outlook.

The increase in deposits is expected to strengthen banking sector liquidity and support credit growth during the first quarter. Experts believe the trend reflects positive sentiment among households and businesses.

Higher deposit mobilisation will provide banks with greater capacity to support lending and contribute to overall economic growth.

The banking sector is expected to maintain steady momentum, supported by stable financial conditions, rising credit demand, and improving investment activity.

News

Centre Issues Guidelines for National Anthem, Song

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

New Delhi, July 11: The Central Government has issued fresh guidelines on the correct script, pronunciation, and rendition of the National Anthem and National Song to ensure uniformity during official and public events.

The guidelines stress maintaining the original words, proper pronunciation, and approved format while singing or reciting national symbols.

The move aims to create greater awareness and ensure respectful presentation of the National Anthem and National Song across schools, government offices, and public institutions.

Authorities have advised all organisations to follow the prescribed guidelines and avoid any changes or incorrect usage during programmes.

Business

Justdial Opens FY27 on a Strong Note, Accelerates AI-Led Platform Transformation and Strengthens B2B offerings

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Justdial, India’s No. 1 local search engine, opened FY27 on a strong note, delivering strong revenue growth, while accelerating its AI–led transformation and strengthening of its B2B commerce ecosystem.

The company posted a revenue of ₹327.5 crores for Q1 FY27, marking a YoY growth of 9.9% and 6.6% QoQ. Operating EBITDA for the quarter stood at ₹87.4 crores, registering a YoY growth of 1.1%, while net profit came in at ₹166.2 crores, reflecting a YoY growth of 4.1%.

Platform engagement remained healthy through the quarter, with 192.9 million unique quarterly visitors recorded, and total business listings crossing 56.1 million as of 30th June 2026, reaffirming Justdial‘s position as India’s preferred platform for local business discovery.

Mr. Shwetank Dixit, Chief Growth Officer, Just Dial, commented:  “We started FY27 on a strong note, with revenue growing 6.6% QoQ, our fastest sequential growth in a decade outside the post-COVID recovery period. This performance reflects focused execution across our core business, alongside sustained investment in technology capabilities that are now translating into tangible outcomes. 

AI has emerged as a genuine force multiplier for both user experience and business productivity. Our AI voice agents are helping us understand user intent and qualify leads with far greater precision, resulting in stronger buyer-seller matches. We’ve also deployed AI agents across our sales workflows to sharpen lead nurturing, freeing our sales teams to focus on the highest-intent opportunities. Cataloguing, listing verification, and customer support are other areas where AI is helping us manage scale and complexity, enabling richer business information and faster issue resolution for our users. 

We’re now extending these AI capabilities to our merchant ecosystem as well, from helping businesses create richer content to automating customer interactions. Our goal is to make AI accessible to millions of MSMEs, so that businesses of every size can unlock the power of intelligent tools. 

This quarter, we also introduced the JD Mart Super Sixer Pack, a suite of premium benefits giving Bharat’s B2B sellers greater visibility and confidence, from a highly qualified lead bank to premium 3D catalogues. This reflects Justdial’s continued ambition to build the preferred platform for B2B commerce in India.” 

In Q1 FY27, Justdial expanded the deployment of agentic AI across Voice, WhatsApp and AI-powered sales assistants. These solutions are designed to make discovery more useful for users and enquiries more actionable for merchants. Justdial‘s proprietary AI voice agents deployed across sales workflows help nurture prospects, transforming cold enquiries into qualified appointments. This enables sales teams to focus on high-intent prospects, improving productivity and conversions. Across the platform, AI is also strengthening onboarding, customer support and content operations, helping Justdial solve for scale and complexity while enriching business information. 

On the B2B front, Justdial introduced the JD Mart Super Sixer Pack, a premium suite of merchant benefits designed to help B2B sellers build a stronger digital presence and inspire greater buyer confidence. The offering brings together access to a high-quality lead bank, premium 3D catalogues, “Trusted” and “Verified” badges, official Justdial rating certificates, personalised web banners and enhanced visibility across business listings and product searches. As India’s manufacturing and trading ecosystem continues to expand, Justdial remains committed to equipping businesses with the technology, trust and predictability they need to scale with confidence. 

Together, these initiatives reflect Justdial’s continued focus on improving user experience, empowering merchants and strengthening the quality of buyer-seller connections. As the platform evolves, the company remains committed to creating sustainable long-term value for users, merchants and shareholders. 

News

Peering Into Materials Down to the Nanoscale in the COCOON Lab

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

July 11: A new Tufts University imaging facility is doing something that most microscopy centers in the world cannot: allowing scientists to examine a butterfly wing, a living tissue, or a microchip and reveal their physical structure, molecular chemistry, and elemental composition across every scale, from the macroscale down to the nanoscale – all in only one imaging session.

The Center for Optical Characterization of Organic and Natural Materials (COCOON), an offshoot of the Tufts Silklab, is now available as a resource for academic and industry clients. What sets it apart is not any single instrument, but a coordinated suite of microscopes that work together so that findings at one scale can be directly connected to findings at another, on the same sample, in the same session.

Understanding how a butterfly wing keeps cool in the sunlight, how a drug capsule releases its payload, or how a biomaterial reacts with surrounding tissue requires connecting macro-scale observations to what is happening at the nanometer scale. Until now, doing that meant moving between instruments and facilities, each requiring different ways to prepare samples of materials. Every transfer risked damaging material or losing track of exactly which region of the sample was being examined.

For biological materials, the problem was more acute. Most high-resolution electron microscopy requires operation in vacuum, which evaporates the water that gives living tissues their shape, structure, and function. Chemically fixing or drying the sample is the typical approach, but it alters the very thing researchers are trying to study. COCOON was designed to solve these problems.

From the Whole Sample to the Nanoscale

At the center of COCOON is the most powerful instrument in the suite, a scanning electron microscope capable of providing a topographical map of a surface by resolving features as small as 0.8 nanometers. That’s about the size of a glucose molecule. Its capabilities are enhanced by integrated instruments that map molecules (Raman spectroscopy) and atoms (EDX spectroscopy) present in the material. All three results can be combined into one “color” picture of the material at a specific location—showing not only shape and texture but also the layout and pattern of different molecules and elements.

Other instruments extend reach toward larger and smaller scales, including confocal laser scanning microscopes that can create a sliced image of different depths of a material, analogous to a CAT scan, and an atomic force microscope that can map the surface at near-atomic resolution. All instruments share spatial information with each other, so a region of interest identified at the whole-sample level can be tracked and re-examined all the way down to the nanoscale level without losing its location.

“The advantage we have is that we can correlate information between each microscope,” said Fiorenzo Omenetto, Frank C. Doble Professor of Engineering at Tufts University and director of Silklab. “If we identify a region of interest with an optical microscope, we can examine the same region at the micro and nanoscale.”

Examining Biological and Industrial Materials

For biological materials, COCOON adds a key capability: cryogenic preservation. By rapidly freezing a sample before imaging, the platform locks biological tissues in a state that closely represents how they look and function in nature, leaving water intact and their structure undisturbed. These cryogenic conditions are maintained throughout imaging with different instruments, so structural and molecular data are collected from the same preserved region at the same time. An added benefit is that freezing the sample also reduces damage from the electron beam and laser, so you have time to gather more information.

COCOON was created because the tools researchers needed simply didn’t exist at Tufts, or in most places.

 “We needed to know how materials were made and organized, from the nano to the macro scale,” said Giulia Guidetti, research assistant professor and director of COCOON, describing the Silklab’s ongoing work. “But the imaging instrumentation available to us at the time was not good enough, especially for biological materials.”

COCOON’s capabilities go well beyond biological materials. The facility can analyze polymers, adhesives, microchips, batteries, catalysts, and membranes, to name a few, and can even be applied to forensic investigation.

COCOON emphasizes a collaborative service model. Trained scientific staff work closely with clients to design experiments, prepare samples, select imaging strategies, and interpret results, ensuring that data is not only technically rigorous, but also directly useful for the next step in a client’s research or product development.

Instrumentation access is available on an hourly basis, and external clients can also engage the lab for full analysis and consulting services.

“This is not just an instrument. It’s a workflow, and a way of thinking about materials that we believe will open up new research directions,” said Guidetti.

Examining Biological and Industrial Materials

COCOON is a next-generation characterization suite designed for researchers working at the intersection of biology, materials science, and optics. Reach out today for rates, reservations, and other inquiries.

 
 
 
News

Government Focuses on Policy Reforms to Boost Electronics Exports

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

New Delhi, July 11: The Commerce Secretary has stressed the importance of a predictable and stable policy environment to help India achieve its ambitious target of $150 billion in electronics exports.

Addressing industry stakeholders, the Secretary highlighted the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing, enhance supply chain capabilities, and improve India’s competitiveness in the global electronics market.

The government emphasized that consistent policies, greater industry collaboration, and increased investment in technology and innovation will be crucial for expanding electronics production and exports.

The discussions also focused on improving ease of doing business, supporting manufacturers, encouraging research and development, and integrating Indian companies into global value chains.

India’s electronics sector has witnessed significant growth in recent years, supported by rising demand, manufacturing initiatives, and increased investment. A strong policy framework will further help the sector attract investments, create employment opportunities, and enhance India’s position as a global electronics manufacturing hub.

The Commerce Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to working with industry stakeholders to build a competitive and sustainable electronics ecosystem and achieve long-term export growth.

Entertainment

Colours of India 2026 by Swaranjali Delhi to Celebrate India’s Cultural Diversity in Sri Vijaya Puram

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

 

Swaranjali Delhi to Present “Colours of India 2026” in Sri Vijaya Puram, Celebrating the Nation’s Rich Cultural Heritage

 July 11: Swaranjali Delhi is proud to announce “Colours of India 2026”, a grand cultural extravaganza showcasing the vibrant diversity of Indian classical music, dance, and folk traditions. The event will be held on 13 August 2026 at 5:00 PM at the Tagore Government College of Education Hall , Middle Point, M G Road,  Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, 

The festival aims to bring together artists from different parts of India, creating a platform that celebrates the country’s rich artistic legacy while fostering cultural unity and harmony. 

The evening will commence with an energetic group dance presentation by Vikash Dance Akademi, Port Blair, followed by a distinguished Classical Vocal Recital by Pt. Bhutnath De of Jharkhand, accompanied on tabla by Pt. Susamoy Mishra. Audiences will also witness a captivating Solo Sitar Recital by Vidwan Subrata De, accompanied by Pt. Susamoy Mishra.

The program will further feature performances by Daksh Akademi, Port Blair, an elegant A major highlight of the evening will be the concluding performances by Hakimpara Nritya Malancha, Siliguri, under the guidance of Guru Vidushi Sangita Chaki. The group will present a series of classical and devotional performances including Ganapati Shlokam, Saraswati Shlokam, Durga Kirtanam, Shiva Kirtanam, and Kathak recitals by talented young artistes.

The grand finale, themed “Colours of India,” will take the audience on a cultural journey across the nation through vibrant folk dance traditions representing Bengal, Assam (Bihu), Nepal, Odisha (Sambalpuri), Tripura, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kashmir, Gujarat, and Punjab. The evening will culminate with a stirring rendition of Vande Mataram by the Hakimpara Nritya Malancha ensemble. 

Anchor: Smt Rashida Iqbal 

Colours of India Andaman

“Colours of India 2026” seeks to celebrate India’s cultural plurality and strengthen bonds of peace, unity, and mutual appreciation through the universal language of art and music.  The organizers extend a warm invitation to art enthusiasts, cultural patrons, tourists, students, and residents of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to be a part of this memorable celebration.

Acknowledgements: The organizers gratefully acknowledge the support of Chairperson -Municipal Council- PortBlair, Tagore Government College of Education- Sri Vijaya Puram, Shri Ayush Raj & Team,  Shri Ajesh Aggarwal & Smt. Sunita Aggarwal ,Smt. Princy ,Shri L. Rajendra , Mr. & Mrs. Ratna Wagh (ABSS Pune), Shri Mridul Nath (RMS Audio Hyderabad), Smt. Ruma Mishra- Dhwani Foundation (Delhi), Shri Debraj & Smt. Mary Das (Jamshedpur), Shri Sanjit Debnath (Maa Tara- Port Blair), Mr. Amit Mishra -RepairnFix (Faridabad) & Locally- Daksh Dance Akademi, Vikash Akademi,  Muktadhara- Sri Vijaya Puram. 

Media Partner: Shreyas Webmedia Solutions, Bhubaneswar  

The Details Program Schedule– 

Opening Group Dance – Vikash Dance Akademi, Port Blair
Classical Vocal Recital – Pt. Bhutnath De (Jharkhand), accompanied by Pt. Susamoy Mishra on Tabla
Solo Sitar Recital – Vidwan Subrata De (Delhi), accompanied by Pt. Susamoy Mishra on Tabla
Group Dance Presentation – Daksh Akademi, Port Blair
Bharatanatyam Recital – Ms. Rajasi Wagh, Pune
Vocal Recital – Mrs. Vineet Talukdar, Port Blair
 Hakimpara NrityaMalancha, Siliguri- The troupe will present a series of classical and devotional performances:
Ganapati Shlokam – Hrishita Das, Doli Mahanta, Kasturi Das Barman, Prakriti Thapa & Shrestha Sarkar
Solo Bharatnatyam – Smt. Rimpi Saha Banik 
Kathak Solo – Avipsha Adhikari
Saraswati Shlokam – Doli Mahanta
Durga Kirtanam – Shrestha Sarkar
Shiva Kirtanam – Kasturi Das Barman
Avata Shyam – Prakriti Thapa
Shiva Kirtanam – Hrishita Das
Kathak Presentation – Guru Vidushi Sangita Chaki
Grand Finale: Colours of India- A vibrant celebration of India’s diverse folk traditions featuring:-
Bangla Folk Dance – Doli Mahanta, Shrestha Sarkar & Avipsha Adhikari
Bihu (Assam) – Sharmistha Das, Moupia Adhikari & Priti Karmakar
Nepali Folk Dance – Prakriti Thapa
Sambalpuri Folk Dance (Odisha) – Hrishita Das & Kasturi Das Barman
Tripura Folk Dance – Avipsha Adhikari
Rajasthani Folk Dance – Shrestha Sarkar & Prakriti Thapa
Marathi Folk Dance – Kasturi Das Barman, Hrishita Das & Doli Mahanta
Kashmiri Folk Dance – Avipsha Adhikari
Gujarati Folk Dance – Sharmistha Das, Moupia Adhikari, Keya Das Barman & Priti Karmakar
Punjabi Folk Dance – Hrishita Das, Kasturi Das Barman, Doli Mahanta & Shrestha Sarkar
Vande Mataram – Grand Finale Presentation by Hakimpara NrityaMalancha, Siliguri. This concluding segment promises to showcase the rich cultural tapestry of India through music, movement, and tradition. 
Anchor- Smt Rashida Iqbal  

RSVP
9910300319 | 9933211868 | 9818300319 | 7695021548

Website: www.swaranjali.org | www.nrityamalancha.com

Education

Rajasthan Records Highest Female Presence in Higher Education

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

Jaipur, July 11: Rajasthan has recorded the highest female participation rate in colleges while overall college admissions in the state have declined for the second consecutive year, reflecting a significant trend in women’s access to higher education.

The latest data highlights the growing presence of female students in higher education institutions across Rajasthan, with women accounting for a substantial share of college enrollments. The increase in female participation indicates improved awareness, accessibility, and opportunities for women pursuing higher studies.

However, the state has witnessed a decline in overall student admissions for the second year in a row, raising concerns among education stakeholders about factors affecting college enrollment. Experts have pointed to changing demographics, economic challenges, and shifting education preferences as possible reasons behind the trend.

Education officials said efforts are being made to encourage more students to pursue higher education through improved infrastructure, scholarship support, skill-based programmes, and greater access to quality institutions.

The rise in female participation is being viewed as a positive development, highlighting the progress made in promoting women’s education and empowerment. Authorities are focusing on addressing challenges linked to declining admissions while ensuring continued growth in higher education opportunities across the state.

News

SHANTI Act Implementation Takes Centre Stage at NITI Aayog Meet

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

New Delhi, July 11: NITI Aayog held consultations with key stakeholders to discuss the implementation framework of the SHANTI Act, focusing on three major pillars aimed at strengthening the country’s development and regulatory ecosystem.

The discussions brought together representatives from government departments, industry, experts, and other stakeholders to deliberate on strategies for effective implementation of the Act and ensuring coordinated efforts among all concerned parties.

The stakeholders highlighted the importance of developing a robust framework, enhancing institutional coordination, promoting innovation, and ensuring smooth execution of initiatives under the SHANTI Act.

During the consultations, emphasis was placed on creating an efficient mechanism that supports sustainable growth, improves governance, and encourages greater participation from various sectors.

NITI Aayog underscored the importance of collaborative efforts between policymakers, industry leaders, and experts to achieve the objectives of the Act and translate its vision into actionable outcomes.

The stakeholder engagement is part of NITI Aayog’s efforts to build a comprehensive implementation roadmap and ensure that the benefits of the SHANTI Act reach all relevant sectors effectively.

Business

Piyush Goyal Calls for Stronger Productivity Ecosystem

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

New Delhi, July 11: Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal chaired a meeting of the National Productivity Council (NPC) to review initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s productivity ecosystem and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.

Piyush Goyal Calls for Stronger Productivity Ecosystem

 Pic Credit: https://x.com/PiyushGoyal

During the meeting, the Minister emphasized the need to foster a culture of productivity, innovation, and efficiency across industries, services, and government institutions. He called for greater adoption of modern technologies, digital transformation, skill development, and best management practices to improve operational efficiency and drive sustainable economic growth.

The discussions focused on expanding the reach of productivity initiatives, promoting capacity building among industries—particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)—and encouraging collaboration between government, academia, and industry to enhance productivity standards.

Goyal underscored the importance of productivity as a key driver of economic development, employment generation, and global competitiveness. He urged the National Productivity Council to intensify awareness programmes, training, consultancy services, and research initiatives that help businesses improve quality, reduce costs, and increase efficiency.

The meeting also reviewed the Council’s ongoing programmes and explored strategies to strengthen institutional support for productivity enhancement in line with the government’s vision of building a globally competitive and self-reliant economy.

The National Productivity Council continues to play a pivotal role in promoting productivity-led growth by providing training, consultancy, and capacity-building support across various sectors of the economy.

Business

India, New Zealand Strengthen Trade, Investment Ties

Jul 11, 2026 by Neel Achary 0 Comments

India, New Zealand Strengthen Trade, Investment Ties

 Pic Credit: https://x.com/PMOIndia

New Delhi, July 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited New Zealand businesses and investors to expand their presence in India, highlighting the country’s vast opportunities across key sectors including manufacturing, infrastructure, renewable energy, technology, agriculture, food processing, innovation, and the digital economy.

The call came as India and New Zealand reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral economic relations by accelerating the implementation of the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The two countries agreed to fast-track negotiations and deepen cooperation to enhance trade in goods and services, promote investments, and facilitate greater economic engagement.

The leaders emphasized that a comprehensive and balanced FTA would unlock new opportunities for businesses in both countries by improving market access, reducing trade barriers, and fostering stronger collaboration across strategic sectors. The agreement is also expected to boost exports, create employment opportunities, and strengthen resilient supply chains.

Prime Minister Modi underscored India’s emergence as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and encouraged New Zealand companies to take advantage of the country’s investor-friendly policies, expanding infrastructure, and robust manufacturing ecosystem. He highlighted the government’s commitment to ease of doing business and its focus on innovation-driven growth.

Both sides also agreed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, dairy, education, tourism, clean energy, digital technologies, and skill development, while encouraging greater collaboration between businesses, startups, and research institutions.

The renewed commitment to advancing the FTA reflects the shared vision of India and New Zealand to elevate their economic partnership, expand bilateral trade, and create new avenues for sustainable growth and investment. Officials from both countries are expected to continue discussions to expedite the agreement and deliver tangible benefits to businesses and consumers alike.

The development marks another significant step in deepening India–New Zealand strategic and economic ties, with both nations expressing confidence that enhanced trade and investment cooperation will contribute to long-term prosperity and mutual growth.