Early monsoon causes havoc in Mumbai, Kerala and Karnataka
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The Axiom 4 mission to space is set for launch on June 8th, with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla representing India. Shukla, only the second Indian to go to space after Rakesh Sharma, has entered quarantine along with astronauts from Poland and Hungary.
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News18
41 minutes ago
- News18
How The ‘Swan' Soft Toy On Axiom-4 Headed To ISS Is Linked To Goddess Saraswati
Last Updated: As the Axiom-4 crew readies for liftoff, they'll bring along a plush swan named 'Joy'. When the Falcon-9 rocket launches from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on June 10, it will be carrying more than just astronauts and scientific gear. Joining the Axiom 4 mission crew aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule will be a small plush swan named 'Joy.' This soft toy isn't just a sentimental item—it plays a meaningful role. In keeping with a long-standing space tradition, astronauts bring a small object to float freely once the spacecraft reaches orbit. It's a visual cue: the moment the toy begins to drift, the crew knows they've officially entered microgravity. But 'Joy' is more than just a zero-gravity indicator. The plush swan carries a deeply personal significance for each astronaut on board, symbolising emotion, connection, and the human side of space travel. Here's why this tiny companion holds such powerful meaning for the crew. Why Swan? During a pre-flight virtual press conference, all four members of the international Axiom-4 crew played a role in choosing the swan plush toy, selecting it as a shared cultural symbol that resonated with them all. For ISRO astronaut and Axiom-4 mission pilot Shubanshu Shukla, the swan holds profound spiritual and philosophical significance, making it a deeply personal choice as well as a meaningful representation for the crew. 'In Indian culture, the swan is the vehicle of goddess Saraswati, symbolising wisdom, learning, and purity. Swan is believed to have the rare ability to separate milk from water, representing purity, wisdom, and grace," Shukla said during the crew's pre-launch press briefing on Tuesday (June 3). 'Carrying this symbol reminds me of the delicate balance between knowledge and pressure, and it keeps me grounded in the values I hold dear. I feel inspired, fully prepared, and confident as I embark on this journey," Shukla added. Once in orbit, Shubanshu Shukla will make history as the second Indian to venture into space, following in the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma, who became the first nearly 40 years ago. Mission commander and America's most seasoned astronaut, Peggy Whitson, explained the significance behind the swan, saying, 'Joy symbolises the collective dreams of three nations coming together in their pursuit of human spaceflight. In India, the swan represents wisdom; in Poland, it reflects resilience; and in Hungary, it stands for grace. Through 'Joy,' we honour both our cultural differences and the unity that drives our shared mission in space." What Is Axiom-4 Mission? The Axiom-4 mission, a collaborative effort between Texas-based Axiom Space, SpaceX, and NASA, will send four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-week mission. The crew includes Mission Commander Peggy Whitson from the U.S., Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Plush Toys In Space Taking a soft toy into space might seem light-hearted, but it's actually a long-standing tradition among astronauts. The use of zero-gravity indicators dates back to 1961, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin carried a small doll on his groundbreaking Vostok mission. The purpose was simple: once the doll started to float, it confirmed the spacecraft had entered zero gravity. Over the years, Russian space crews have kept this tradition alive, often taking along plush toys chosen by their children, adding a personal and sentimental touch to their journeys beyond Earth. The tradition of flying soft toys as zero-gravity indicators eventually crossed over to the United States after the space shuttle era. Today, crewed spacecraft from SpaceX, Boeing, and NASA's Artemis missions regularly include these floating companions to mark the arrival of weightlessness. Once aboard the International Space Station, 'Joy' the swan will join an eclectic collection of plush space travellers. Past zero-g mascots include 'Droog," a crocheted origami crane from SpaceX's Crew-10 mission, and a horn-blowing angel chosen by the Soyuz MS-27 crew, adding a touch of whimsy to space exploration. First Published:
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
World Environment Day 2025: Why climate resilience needs development management leaders?
On World Environment Day, as the world debates net-zero targets, electric vehicles, and renewable energy milestones, it's vital to remember that climate change is not only about carbon emissions. It is, at its core, a human crisis. In India, vulnerability to climate extremes is no longer hypothetical. An assessment by the Department of Science and Technology found that over 80% of Indian districts face high flood or drought risk, with the impacts disproportionately affecting rural and marginalised communities. As climate-related disasters become more frequent, they compound pre-existing inequities in health, livelihoods, and gender, demanding a more people-centred approach to resilience. To mitigate these issues, there is a need to build a cadre of development management professionals supporting an ecosystem of fellowships, leadership programmes, and institutions that strengthen development management capacities within the social sector. The human blind spot in climate action Despite the gravity of this crisis, much of our climate discourse remains dominated by top-down narratives driven by policy, technology, and capital. These are all crucial elements, but they are not sufficient. The lived realities of climate change, migration, loss of livelihoods, and collapsing ecosystems require solutions that are relational, adaptive, and deeply rooted in the social fabric of our communities. The missing link in our response is leadership from India's vast, diverse, and indispensable social sector. Climate resilience is not built through technology or investment alone. It is built through trust, collective participation, and a deep understanding of how communities function and survive under pressure. The social sector, encompassing NGOs, self-help groups, community-based organisations, and grassroots movements, has long worked within these realities. It is this sector that steps in when families are displaced by floods, when heatwaves trigger public health emergencies, and when farming communities face successive crop failures due to erratic rainfall. Lessons from the ground Across India, community-led efforts have long demonstrated the power of local knowledge in building climate resilience, from reviving traditional water structures to adopting adaptive agricultural practices. When supported and scaled, these approaches play a vital role in addressing local vulnerabilities. The Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) continues to support women farmers in adopting climate-resilient livelihoods Programmes like MISHTI, which restore mangrove ecosystems, and MGNREGS, which enable water conservation and drought-proofing in rural areas, demonstrate the potential of people-first climate action. Yet, despite this record, the social sector remains systematically under-recognised and underfunded in India's climate action plans. The majority of green finance continues to flow towards large-scale mitigation projects. Adaptation, which directly impacts vulnerable communities, receives a much smaller share. While new policy frameworks like India's Climate Finance Taxonomy are promising, implementation has been slow and fragmented. Bridging the investment gap Some argue that the social sector lacks the scale or sophistication to lead India's climate response. But this critique overlooks what truly drives resilience. Social purpose organisations possess deep-rooted credibility, contextual knowledge, and the trust of communities. They act as connectors, translating government policy, technological innovation, and philanthropic investment into solutions that work on the ground. What is missing is not intent, but investment in leadership. According to the India Philanthropy Report 2025 by Bain & Company and Dasra, the social sector has grown at a compound annual rate of approximately 13% over the past five years, reaching ₹25 lakh crore (approximately USD 300 billion, or 8.3% of GDP) in FY 2024. These organisations indirectly enable an additional ₹25 to ₹30 lakh crore in public spending on development. Yet the people leading them often lack access to the kind of management training, strategic support, and institutional strengthening available to their counterparts in the corporate or government sectors. If we are to scale community-rooted climate action, we must invest in the people who make that action possible. Catalysing future leadership This means building a cadre of development management professionals supporting an ecosystem of fellowships, leadership programmes, and institutions that strengthen development management capacities within the sector. It also means reimagining CSR and philanthropic capital to fund not just projects, but long-term institutional resilience. According to an analysis by Sattva Consulting, only 19 Indian non-profits reported incomes exceeding ₹100 crore in FY 2021-22. This starkly contrasts with the scale of CSR allocations by many large companies, whose individual budgets often exceed this threshold. The disparity reveals a persistent challenge, even as philanthropic and CSR capital grows, the organisations working most closely with vulnerable communities continue to face institutional and financial limitations. Dedicated pipelines that strengthen the strategic capabilities of grassroots organisations are urgently needed. India has made ambitious commitments on climate action. But these goals will remain out of reach unless we address the leadership vacuum at the heart of our adaptation response. Social sector leaders are not just service providers. They are catalysts for systemic change. And if we are serious about climate justice, we must centre their voices, build their capacity, and trust their vision. In a country as complex and diverse as India, climate action must begin and end with people. And the social sector is where that work already quietly, urgently, and persistently continues every day. (Ravi Sreedharan is the President and Co-founder of Indian School of Development Management)
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Dr Reddy's–Alvotech deal: Why investors are bullish
CHENNAI: Shares of Dr Reddy's Laboratories surged over 3% in early trade on Thursday after the Indian drug maker announced a global licensing agreement with Alvotech, an Iceland-based biopharmaceutical company. Under this agreement, the two firms will codevelop, manufacture, and commercialise a biosimilar candidate to Keytruda (called as pembrolizumab by the biological name) — a blockbuster cancer immunotherapy drug originally developed by the US pharma major Merck & Co., also known as MSD Pharmaceuticals outside US. Keytruda, prescribed for the treatment of various cancers including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and head and neck cancers, in adults and children, is one of the most sold drugs of Merck from its original research. According to Merck's 2024 sales data, this drug alone contributed over $29.5 billion in revenue for the company, which also makes it one of the world's top-selling drugs. This drug is in demand as it is used in advanced, metastatic, or recurrent cancers that are not responding to other treatments or cannot be removed by surgery. Keytruda can also be used to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery. A biosimilar is a generic equivalent of a biological drug. In this case, the biosimilar -- pembrolizumab-- can enter the market once Merck's patent is expired. There are several drug firms work on this bio-molecule currently worldwide, and Alvotech is one of the frontrunners. The licensing deal signed between Dr Reddy's and Alvotech marks a strategic expansion of the former's biosimilars pipeline, aligning with the company's ambition to build a strong presence in the global oncology space.
