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Jitendra Singh hails Shubhanshu Shukla's return

Jitendra Singh hails Shubhanshu Shukla's return

Bengaluru, July 15 (UNI) "Bharat has found an enduring space in the world of space," declared Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh, as he hailed the triumphant return of Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from his landmark mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Celebrating the successful completion of the Axiom-4 mission, which splashed down off the coast of San Diego earlier today, Singh described it as "a moment of glory for India" and a proud occasion not just for the country but for the entire global scientific community.
'It's a moment of pride for the whole world and a moment of glory for India, as one of our illustrious sons returns after accomplishing a successful voyage,' the Minister told reporters.
Singh emphasised the scientific value of the mission, noting that Shukla had conducted 'some of the very vital life-bearing experiments never done before,' marking a significant contribution to future space exploration and biomedical advancements.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's second astronaut in space and the first to visit the ISS, spent over two weeks conducting research as part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission — a collaboration between ISRO, SpaceX, NASA, and private partners.
Dr Singh congratulated the mission team and reaffirmed India's resolve to further strengthen its position as a key player in space science and technology.
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Himalayas may be 40 million yrs older than thought: New study
Himalayas may be 40 million yrs older than thought: New study

Time of India

time44 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Himalayas may be 40 million yrs older than thought: New study

Dehradun: Scientists at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) have found that parts of Arunachal Pradesh in the eastern Himalayas saw intense geological activity millions of years before the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates collided: an event long believed to have led to formation of the Himalayas around 50 million years ago. The study, funded by the ministry of earth sciences and published in the Journal of the Geological Society, revealed that a prolonged phase of volcanic and magmatic activity occurred in the Lohit and Dibang valleys around 40 million years before the plate collision. Focusing on the Lohit Plutonic Complex (LPC), a belt of underground igneous rocks, researchers used geochemical analysis and zircon U–Pb dating (determining the age of rocks by analysing the radioactive decay of uranium to lead in zircon crystals) to conclude that the activity was likely triggered by the subduction (where one tectonic plate slides beneath another) of the Neo-Tethys Ocean lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate. The rocks in this zone were found to be chemically consistent with subduction-driven magmatic activity. "This region largely remained a blind spot in Himalayan geology," said WIHG scientist and project lead Vikas Adlakha. "Our study shows that the eastern Himalayas underwent complex geological changes much earlier than previously thought." The team also found the first definitive evidence of migmatisation in the area—partial melting of crustal rocks caused by intense heat and pressure—between 88 and 69 million years ago. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo Researchers documented characteristic light and dark bands in the LPC rocks, hallmark features of migmatites, along with other signs of deformation and deep crustal shifts that predate the tectonic plate collision. "Our zircon dating shows that the melting and subduction-related activity occurred around the same time," said Adlakha. "This suggests a major thermal anomaly in the Earth's crust, likely due to long-term subduction and crust thickening." The study links the LPC to the broader Trans-Himalayan arc system, which includes the Kohistan–Ladakh and Gangdese regions in the western Himalayas and Tibet. "This study connects the geological dots from the western to the eastern Himalayas," said Adlakha. "It confirms that subduction-related processes were not confined to Ladakh or Tibet but extended all the way to Arunachal Pradesh." The findings have broader implications, not just for understanding how the crust evolved in this region, but also for mineral exploration and seismic risk assessment in the northeast region, which remains one of India's most earthquake-prone areas. "This is just the beginning," said lead author Kunal Mukherjee. "There is much more to learn from the rocks of Arunachal and many more secrets waiting beneath the surface."

QS Rankings: IIT-Madras breaks into top 200, but Indian institutes behind in foreign student intake
QS Rankings: IIT-Madras breaks into top 200, but Indian institutes behind in foreign student intake

The Print

time44 minutes ago

  • The Print

QS Rankings: IIT-Madras breaks into top 200, but Indian institutes behind in foreign student intake

IIT-Madras broke into the top 200 for the first time, climbing 47 places to secure the 180th position. On the other hand, IIT-Bombay's rank declined to 129 from 118 the previous year. Released Friday, the latest QS World University Rankings saw IIT-Delhi emerge as the top-ranked Indian institution at 123, marking a jump of 27 places from the previous year. New Delhi: Three Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) were in the top 200 of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2026, which also showed Indian institutions lagging on key indicators, such as the international student ratio and faculty-student ratio. Overall, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US was the world's top university for the 14th consecutive year. While Imperial College London remained in second place, and Stanford University remained in third. 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Also Read: Road to expansion clear, but 3rd-gen IITs are caught in loop of low enrolment & falling placements Faculty-student ratio & international students The QS rankings are based on nine indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international student ratio, international faculty ratio, international research network, employment outcomes, and sustainability. This year they highlighted that 78 percent of Indian universities experienced a decline in their scores in the international student ratio indicator, while 63 percent saw a drop in their faculty-student ratio indicator. On the international student ratio indicator, Amity University in Noida ranks highest among Indian institutions, at 540th position with a score of 34.9. 'This highlights a key area for future focus as India seeks to strengthen its global engagement and position itself as a truly international education destination,' the QS statement said. 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'But the rankings also highlight the next frontier—attracting more international students and faculty, and building academic capacity to support quality at scale,' she said. How IoEs & other institutes fared Among institutions showing improvement, IIT-Kharagpur climbed to 215 from 222 last year. IIT-Kanpur rose to 222 from 263, while IIT-Guwahati improved its position from 344 to 334. Some institutions recorded a drop in rankings, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, which fell to 219 from 211 last year. IIT-Roorkee slipped from 335 to 339, while Anna University dropped from 383 to 465. Delhi University, meanwhile, maintained a status quo at 328. Six of India's 11 Institutions of Eminence (IoEs)—both public and private—improved their positions this year, including IIT Madras. Launched by the Union government in 2017, the IoE scheme was aimed at propelling Indian higher education institutions into top global rankings. University of Delhi, University of Hyderabad, and Banaras Hindu University retained their previous rankings. Among private universities, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) stood at 668th. Meanwhile, eight new Indian universities debuted on the rankings this year. These include IIT-Gandhinagar, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Lovely Professional University, Shiv Nadar University, and Ashoka University. As a result, according to the QS statement, India now has 54 institutions in the rankings, making it the fourth most represented country—behind only the US (192), the UK (90), and Mainland China (72). Dr Ashwin Fernandes, QS Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, said the addition of eight Indian universities—more than any other country—signals an encouraging trajectory. 'With increasing global engagement, investment in research, and a sharp focus on employability, Indian universities are beginning to align more closely with the expectations of a rapidly evolving knowledge economy,' he said. (Edited by Sanya Mathur) Also Read: JEE Advanced 2025 results: IIT cutoffs drop to three-year low

Six minutes of darkness: Rare August 2027 solar eclipse will be the longest seen from land in over a century
Six minutes of darkness: Rare August 2027 solar eclipse will be the longest seen from land in over a century

Economic Times

time2 hours ago

  • Economic Times

Six minutes of darkness: Rare August 2027 solar eclipse will be the longest seen from land in over a century

Why will the solar eclipse last so long Live Events The path of the eclipse Southern Spain Northern Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia North-eastern Libya and central Egypt Sudan's north-east South-western Saudi Arabia and Yemen Northern Somalia Will it be visible in India? High chances of clear skies A rare opportunity (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel On the afternoon of 2 August 2027, skies will suddenly darken over southern Europe, North Africa and parts of the Middle East. Not from clouds. Not from storms. But from a rare total solar eclipse that's already being called one of the most remarkable of the its peak, the Moon will completely cover the Sun for 6 minutes and 23 seconds — an unusually long stretch for a total eclipse. Most last under three minutes. This one will linger more than twice as to 'From 1991 to 2114, this will be the longest total solar eclipse visible from land.'That makes it a one-of-a-kind experience for millions living under its eclipse's long duration comes down to a rare alignment between Earth, the Moon and the to Zee News , 'Earth will be at aphelion — that's when it's farthest from the Sun. This makes the Sun look a bit smaller than usual.'At the same time, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest point to Earth, appearing larger in the sky. This combination — a slightly smaller Sun and a slightly larger Moon — means the Moon can block the Sun entirely for longer than there's another factor: geography. The eclipse path lies near the equator, where the Moon's shadow moves more slowly across the Earth's surface. That slow pace gives viewers on the ground even more time in total total eclipse will begin over the Atlantic Ocean and move eastwards through:It will then move past the Chagos Archipelago as it exits over the Indian Ocean. In total, the Moon's shadow will stretch around 258 km wide at its broadest route, which crosses deserts, coastlines and ancient cities, gives millions of people a chance to witness it of now, there is no confirmation that the total eclipse will be visible from path will pass well to the west of the subcontinent. While some areas in India's far west may catch a partial eclipse near sunset, most of the country will likely miss it Indian skywatchers, this means travelling to North Africa or southern Europe might be the only way to experience it matters. And August offers good like Egypt and Libya tend to be dry and clear during that time of year. That improves visibility dramatically, making it an ideal season to watch the event unfold without weather travellers planning to witness the eclipse in person, this is a key detail worth upcoming eclipse has already been dubbed the 'Great North African Eclipse' by space commentators. It's not just notable for its length. It's where it's happening — and how perfectly the conditions give some context, the longest recorded total eclipse in history occurred in 743 BC, lasting 7 minutes and 28 seconds. While the 2027 eclipse won't break that ancient record, it will be the longest in modern memory from solar eclipses that come and go with little fanfare, this one is likely to draw millions. 'Crores of people across multiple continents will witness this rare sight,' noted Zee won't happen again until you're in southern Spain, along the Nile in Egypt, or following the event from afar, this eclipse stands out not just for its science — but for the a reminder of how rare and precise these cosmic alignments really are. One that, for many, may never repeat in their 2 August 2027, the sky will offer something truly extraordinary. Not a light show, but a brief, perfect darkness that connects continents and miss it.

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