344 aids distributed to 201 differently-abled persons in Kodagu
Distributing the aids at the Red Cross Bhavan, the MP said that 344 assistive devices worth ₹20 lakh were distributed to 201 differently-abled beneficiaries in the district.
Speaking on the occasion, the MP said everyone is dependent in life in one way or the other. The differently-abled should be provided with more opportunities, and the government should distribute necessary assistive devices.
Mr. Wadiyar said the differently-abled have also played a role in nation-building, and the government is providing several benefits so that they live like any other citizen. 'For building a strong and ideal society, everyone's contribution is essential. We must extend as much support as possible to the differently-abled in building a responsible society,' he added.
Emphasising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India, he said everyone's role is crucial for comprehensive and holistic development under Viksit Bharat. Everyone must contribute towards nation-building, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, former Speaker K.G. Bopaiah said the Central government has implemented many schemes to help the differently-abled lead dignified and self-reliant lives. 'By 2047, India must become a developed nation. In this regard, efforts are being made to ensure that the benefits of various programmes reach the last person in society, including the differently-abled,' he added.
Tipanna Sirasagi, Deputy Director, Department of Women and Child Development, said disability is not a curse; it should be overcome. Government facilities should be utilised to take up self-employment and live self-reliantly, he said.
Ravindra Rai, president of the Red Cross Society, said the organisation is providing several facilities to the differently-abled and recently distributed raincoats to 25 persons. He urged the MP to support the construction of the top floor of the Red Cross building.
District Officer for Differently-abled Welfare Vimal informed that assistive devices were being distributed across taluks due to rain.
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Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
IAFI's Space Policy conference outlines India's satellite roadmap
NEW DELHI, July 25, 2025: The ITU-APT Foundation of India ( IAFI ) organised the two-day Indian Space Policy Conference 2025 (ISPC-25) at Hotel Imperial, New Delhi. The event, held from July 24 to July 25, brought together senior government officials, international regulators, industry leaders, and satellite experts to discuss India's emerging space and spectrum ecosystem. It was attended by over 200 delegates. Participants examined regulatory frameworks, global spectrum policy, satellite applications, Direct-to-Device (D2D) communications, and the path toward India's 'Viksit Bharat' vision across six technical sessions and two plenaries. Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in his inaugural address, stated, 'Satellite communication will be pivotal in fulfilling India's digital inclusion goals. With the right spectrum policy and regulatory flexibility—particularly in enabling non-geostationary satellite systems—we can ensure affordable, high-quality connectivity across the most remote corners of the country.' He reaffirmed that TRAI's recent recommendations, including a 4% AGR fee applicable to both GSO and NGSO operators, were designed to create a balanced and innovation-friendly ecosystem. He also emphasised the importance of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) in delivering up to $250 billion in global socio-economic benefits by 2030, supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ' Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is working to finalize satellite communications rules—streamlining spectrum allocation, simplifying licensing, and promoting ease of doing business,' Lahoti further said. Ms. Isabelle Mauro, Director-General, Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA), urged India to embrace a more agile regulatory framework to accelerate deployment, suggesting 'a progressive approach including administrative allocation of satellite spectrum can help ensure digital equity and inclusion'. Mr. Gautam Sharma, Managing Director, Viasat India , raised concerns about global spectrum consolidation and encouraged the Indian government to safeguard its orbital assets. He noted that Viasat was working closely with Indian startups to launch Direct-to-Device (D2D)-enabled satellites by next year. Ms. Revathi Mannepalli, Joint Wireless Advisor and Member of the ITU Radio Regulatory Board, reiterated that the Indian Space Policy 2023 has played a crucial role in enabling private sector participation and supported the establishment of a dedicated space regulator to streamline licensing and enhance transparency. 'India has opened up the space sector to private players, and the way the policy has evolved, it is going to bring in a lot of new jobs and investments,' noted Shri Bharat Bhatia, President of IAFI, commending India's transformative policy shift. Bhatia underlined the organization's commitment to shaping India's telecom and space communication agenda and noted that in recent years, IAFI has emerged as a powerful voice for Indian stakeholders in global telecom and satellite forums. 'With ISPC-25, we are bringing together the right people at the right time to align India's policy and regulatory ecosystem with the massive technological shift being driven by satellite innovation,' he added. Throughout the six technical sessions and two plenaries, delegates explored key aspects of India's space transformation. The first technical session, moderated by Shri Bhatia, focused on India's evolving space policy and regulatory framework. Shri Arun Agrawal, Deputy Director General (Satellite), Department of Telecommunications , provided an overview of policy and licensing structures supporting the satellite sector. Mr. Vinay Paliwal, Deputy Director, Programme Management and Authorization Directorate, IN-SPACe, highlighted efforts to simplify authorizations and catalyze private sector engagement. Lt. Gen. Anil Kumar Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA), spoke about the growing industry-government collaboration and the importance of IN-SPACe as a single-window facilitator. Mr. Tony Azzarelli, Vice President, Eutelsat OneWeb , remarked during the session, 'We've been very busy for the past two years to start providing services in India. We're just waiting for the final touches of the regulations, which are crucial.' He emphasized global coordination for spectrum and orbital resources, particularly for non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite systems. Dr. Laura Roberti, Director for Spectrum and Market Access, Telesat, during the session emphasized the need for internationally harmonized regulations and efficient spectrum access to support sustainable growth in satellite services. The second session addressed spectrum issues in the lead-up to WRC-27, focusing on agenda items 1.1 to 1.6. Shri Amit Gulati, Senior Deputy Wireless Advisor, WPC, Department of Telecommunications, outlined India's preparatory strategy and its alignment with international developments. Participating virtually, Ms. J Sofi, Associate Director (Frequency Management), ISRO Satellite Communication Programme Office, discussed coordination challenges in satellite network deployment and the importance of protecting interference-free operations. Dr. Roberti addressed global regulatory alignment and market access constraints. Ms. Marta Donate Fuente, Spectrum Engineer, Eutelsat OneWeb, joining remotely, offered global insights on fair spectrum sharing and multi-operator coexistence in increasingly congested orbital environments. Session three, chaired by Shri Gulab Chand, Joint Wireless Advisor, Department of Telecommunications, explored spectrum requirements for defence, civil aviation, and maritime safety. Mr. Laurent Parente, Director General of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO), delivered a virtual keynote stressing the preservation of interference-free environments for critical safety systems such as GMDSS. Mr. John Dodd, Director of Safety Services at Inmarsat, presented the modernization of maritime safety services. Brigadier Rahul Anand, Director, Joint Communication Electronics Staff (JCES), Integrated Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, underscored the need to safeguard defence spectrum against encroachment. Mr. Vivek Banzal, Director, CFA, BSNL , reflected on operator priorities. Ms. Donna Bethea-Murphy, Senior Vice President, Regulatory, Viasat, emphasized the importance of protecting L-band spectrum for emerging services like D2D. Mr. Bashir Patel, Senior Advisor, Policy and Spectrum, concluded with a global view of the future of Mobile Satellite Services (MSS). Mr. Lokesh Kabdal, Co-founder and CEO of AeroDome, also participated. Day 2 Highlights On day two, GSOA's Mauro spoke about D2D potential and hybrid integration. Shri N. K. Bhola, Director, WMO, addressed D2D policy gaps. Shri Anand Khare, Member (Services), DCC, DoT, emphasized convergence between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. Session 4 of ISPC-25 examined the future of Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite communications, focusing on spectrum policies, global coordination, and commercial viability. Chaired by Shri Gulab Chand, Joint Wireless Advisor, Department of Telecommunications, the session addressed key WRC-27 agenda items related to MSS and non-terrestrial network integration. Ms. Sonali Nanda, Deputy Director, PMAD, IN-SPACe, emphasized the need for regulatory clarity and harmonized licensing to support private D2D deployments. Shri M. P. S. Alawa, Joint Wireless Advisor, DoT, called for alignment with global spectrum frameworks. Mr. Jitendra Singh, Head of Government Affairs, Qualcomm, highlighted 3GPP standards and chipset readiness for global mobile-satellite interoperability. Ms. Mariona Pazos Rovira of Sateliot outlined the growing role of nanosatellite constellations in enabling affordable IoT applications. Mr. Chris Woolford, Director, Ofcom, UK, offered a European perspective on spectrum coordination and advocated international cooperation. In a panel moderated by Mr. Pankaj Sharma, Partner, EY, experts, including Shri T. R. Dua, Chairman, IAFI, and Shri R. S. Singh, DDG (IoT), TEC, discussed India's leadership potential in D2D, stressing the need for flexible regulation, spectrum efficiency, and interoperability. Session 5, chaired by Shri Arun Agrawal, DDG (Satellite), DoT, explored how satellite technologies support India's Viksit Bharat agenda. Mr. Mukesh Kumar, DDG (Radio), TEC, highlighted the role of satellite-terrestrial convergence in universal broadband. Mr. H Rayappa of ISRO outlined satellite capacity for civilian use. Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Director, DCPW, discussed satellite applications in disaster response and public safety. Mr. Prabhat Dikshit, DDG (SMC), DoT, emphasized satellite's role in last-mile connectivity. Mr. Utpal Bhowmick, Principal BD India/APAC, Amazon Kuiper, presented low-latency NGSO solutions for rural connectivity. Mr. Alok Shankar Pandey of DFCCIL explained the integration of satellite systems into logistics and railways. The conference concluded with an important session on Space Sustainability, Ms. Bethea-Murphy and Mr. H. C. Soni, Vice President, IAFI, called for global efforts to address orbital debris, and highlighted the growing challenge to sustainability caused by orbital debris. Soni delivered the vote of thanks. Shri Bhatia concluded the event, and thanked GSOA and other partners for making the event a success. About IAFI ITU-APT Foundation of India (ITU-APT) is a non-profit, non-political, non-partisan Industry foundation registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1960. ITU-APT is working for last 22 years with the prime objective of encouraging involvement of professionals, corporate, public/private sector industries, R&D organizations, academic institutions, and such other agencies engaged in development of Indian Telecom sector in the activities of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT). The Foundation has been recognized as an International/Regional Telecommunications Organization by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). For any further information, please see our website (DISCLAIMER: The article has been published under ETTelecom's Brand Connect Initiative)
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
India sets clear satellite roadmap at IAFI's Space Policy conference
NEW DELHI, July 25, 2025: The ITU-APT Foundation of India ( IAFI ) organised the two-day Indian Space Policy Conference 2025 (ISPC-25) at Hotel Imperial, New Delhi. The event, held from July 24 to July 25, brought together senior government officials, international regulators, industry leaders, and satellite experts to discuss India's emerging space and spectrum ecosystem. It was attended by over 200 delegates. Participants examined regulatory frameworks, global spectrum policy, satellite applications, Direct-to-Device (D2D) communications, and the path toward India's 'Viksit Bharat' vision across six technical sessions and two plenaries. Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in his inaugural address, stated, 'Satellite communication will be pivotal in fulfilling India's digital inclusion goals. With the right spectrum policy and regulatory flexibility—particularly in enabling non-geostationary satellite systems—we can ensure affordable, high-quality connectivity across the most remote corners of the country.' He reaffirmed that TRAI's recent recommendations, including a 4% AGR fee applicable to both GSO and NGSO operators, were designed to create a balanced and innovation-friendly ecosystem. He also emphasised the importance of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) in delivering up to $250 billion in global socio-economic benefits by 2030, supporting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ' Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is working to finalize satellite communications rules—streamlining spectrum allocation, simplifying licensing, and promoting ease of doing business,' Lahoti further said. Ms. Isabelle Mauro, Director-General, Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA), urged India to embrace a more agile regulatory framework to accelerate deployment, suggesting 'a progressive approach including administrative allocation of satellite spectrum can help ensure digital equity and inclusion'. Mr. Gautam Sharma, Managing Director, Viasat India , raised concerns about global spectrum consolidation and encouraged the Indian government to safeguard its orbital assets. He noted that Viasat was working closely with Indian startups to launch Direct-to-Device (D2D)-enabled satellites by next year. Ms. Revathi Mannepalli, Joint Wireless Advisor and Member of the ITU Radio Regulatory Board, reiterated that the Indian Space Policy 2023 has played a crucial role in enabling private sector participation and supported the establishment of a dedicated space regulator to streamline licensing and enhance transparency. 'India has opened up the space sector to private players, and the way the policy has evolved, it is going to bring in a lot of new jobs and investments,' noted Shri Bharat Bhatia, President of IAFI, commending India's transformative policy shift. Bhatia underlined the organization's commitment to shaping India's telecom and space communication agenda and noted that in recent years, IAFI has emerged as a powerful voice for Indian stakeholders in global telecom and satellite forums. 'With ISPC-25, we are bringing together the right people at the right time to align India's policy and regulatory ecosystem with the massive technological shift being driven by satellite innovation,' he added. Throughout the six technical sessions and two plenaries, delegates explored key aspects of India's space transformation. The first technical session, moderated by Shri Bhatia, focused on India's evolving space policy and regulatory framework. Shri Arun Agrawal, Deputy Director General (Satellite), Department of Telecommunications , provided an overview of policy and licensing structures supporting the satellite sector. Mr. Vinay Paliwal, Deputy Director, Programme Management and Authorization Directorate, IN-SPACe, highlighted efforts to simplify authorizations and catalyze private sector engagement. Lt. Gen. Anil Kumar Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA), spoke about the growing industry-government collaboration and the importance of IN-SPACe as a single-window facilitator. Mr. Tony Azzarelli, Vice President, Eutelsat OneWeb , remarked during the session, 'We've been very busy for the past two years to start providing services in India. We're just waiting for the final touches of the regulations, which are crucial.' He emphasized global coordination for spectrum and orbital resources, particularly for non-geostationary (NGSO) satellite systems. Dr. Laura Roberti, Director for Spectrum and Market Access, Telesat, during the session emphasized the need for internationally harmonized regulations and efficient spectrum access to support sustainable growth in satellite services. The second session addressed spectrum issues in the lead-up to WRC-27, focusing on agenda items 1.1 to 1.6. Shri Amit Gulati, Senior Deputy Wireless Advisor, WPC, Department of Telecommunications, outlined India's preparatory strategy and its alignment with international developments. Participating virtually, Ms. J Sofi, Associate Director (Frequency Management), ISRO Satellite Communication Programme Office, discussed coordination challenges in satellite network deployment and the importance of protecting interference-free operations. Dr. Roberti addressed global regulatory alignment and market access constraints. Ms. Marta Donate Fuente, Spectrum Engineer, Eutelsat OneWeb, joining remotely, offered global insights on fair spectrum sharing and multi-operator coexistence in increasingly congested orbital environments. Session three, chaired by Shri Gulab Chand, Joint Wireless Advisor, Department of Telecommunications, explored spectrum requirements for defence, civil aviation, and maritime safety. Mr. Laurent Parente, Director General of the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO), delivered a virtual keynote stressing the preservation of interference-free environments for critical safety systems such as GMDSS. Mr. John Dodd, Director of Safety Services at Inmarsat, presented the modernization of maritime safety services. Brigadier Rahul Anand, Director, Joint Communication Electronics Staff (JCES), Integrated Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, underscored the need to safeguard defence spectrum against encroachment. Mr. Vivek Banzal, Director, CFA, BSNL , reflected on operator priorities. Ms. Donna Bethea-Murphy, Senior Vice President, Regulatory, Viasat, emphasized the importance of protecting L-band spectrum for emerging services like D2D. Mr. Bashir Patel, Senior Advisor, Policy and Spectrum, concluded with a global view of the future of Mobile Satellite Services (MSS). Mr. Lokesh Kabdal, Co-founder and CEO of AeroDome, also participated. Day 2 Highlights On day two, GSOA's Mauro spoke about D2D potential and hybrid integration. Shri N. K. Bhola, Director, WMO, addressed D2D policy gaps. Shri Anand Khare, Member (Services), DCC, DoT, emphasized convergence between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. Session 4 of ISPC-25 examined the future of Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite communications, focusing on spectrum policies, global coordination, and commercial viability. Chaired by Shri Gulab Chand, Joint Wireless Advisor, Department of Telecommunications, the session addressed key WRC-27 agenda items related to MSS and non-terrestrial network integration. Ms. Sonali Nanda, Deputy Director, PMAD, IN-SPACe, emphasized the need for regulatory clarity and harmonized licensing to support private D2D deployments. Shri M. P. S. Alawa, Joint Wireless Advisor, DoT, called for alignment with global spectrum frameworks. Mr. Jitendra Singh, Head of Government Affairs, Qualcomm, highlighted 3GPP standards and chipset readiness for global mobile-satellite interoperability. Ms. Mariona Pazos Rovira of Sateliot outlined the growing role of nanosatellite constellations in enabling affordable IoT applications. Mr. Chris Woolford, Director, Ofcom, UK, offered a European perspective on spectrum coordination and advocated international cooperation. In a panel moderated by Mr. Pankaj Sharma, Partner, EY, experts, including Shri T. R. Dua, Chairman, IAFI, and Shri R. S. Singh, DDG (IoT), TEC, discussed India's leadership potential in D2D, stressing the need for flexible regulation, spectrum efficiency, and interoperability. Session 5, chaired by Shri Arun Agrawal, DDG (Satellite), DoT, explored how satellite technologies support India's Viksit Bharat agenda. Mr. Mukesh Kumar, DDG (Radio), TEC, highlighted the role of satellite-terrestrial convergence in universal broadband. Mr. H Rayappa of ISRO outlined satellite capacity for civilian use. Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Director, DCPW, discussed satellite applications in disaster response and public safety. Mr. Prabhat Dikshit, DDG (SMC), DoT, emphasized satellite's role in last-mile connectivity. Mr. Utpal Bhowmick, Principal BD India/APAC, Amazon Kuiper, presented low-latency NGSO solutions for rural connectivity. Mr. Alok Shankar Pandey of DFCCIL explained the integration of satellite systems into logistics and railways. The conference concluded with an important session on Space Sustainability, Ms. Bethea-Murphy and Mr. H. C. Soni, Vice President, IAFI, called for global efforts to address orbital debris, and highlighted the growing challenge to sustainability caused by orbital debris. Soni delivered the vote of thanks. Shri Bhatia concluded the event, and thanked GSOA and other partners for making the event a success. About IAFI ITU-APT Foundation of India (ITU-APT) is a non-profit, non-political, non-partisan Industry foundation registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1960. ITU-APT is working for last 22 years with the prime objective of encouraging involvement of professionals, corporate, public/private sector industries, R&D organizations, academic institutions, and such other agencies engaged in development of Indian Telecom sector in the activities of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT). The Foundation has been recognized as an International/Regional Telecommunications Organization by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). For any further information, please see our website (DISCLAIMER: The article has been published under ETTelecom's Brand Connect Initiative)
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
Most 'crucial' pathway to 'Viksit Bharat': Dharmendra Pradhan on five years of National Education Policy
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday termed the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 a philosophical document aimed at universalising world-class education, and noted that it has emerged as the most "crucial" pathway to " Viksit Bharat ". His post came as the NEP, initiated by the Union government in 2020, marked its fifth anniversary on Tuesday. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science Leadership Data Science Cybersecurity Healthcare others CXO Degree Product Management Project Management Technology Management MCA Others PGDM healthcare Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Finance Digital Marketing Public Policy Operations Management Data Analytics MBA Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details — dpradhanbjp (@dpradhanbjp) "29th July is a significant day for all of us," he posted on X, adding that NEP 2020 was launched under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi five years ago. "A philosophical document to universalise world-class education, bring out the capabilities of every learner and prepare our population for the 21st century and beyond, NEP 2020 is fostering creativity, critical thinking and innovation, realising aspirations and transforming our education across all fronts. Today, as we complete the 5th year of NEP implementation, NEP 2020 has emerged as the most-crucial pathway to Viksit Bharat" Live Events "I congratulate everyone on #5YearsOfNEP2020. Let us remain committed to implementing the NEP in letter and spirit for transforming India into a vibrant knowledge economy," the post added. On July 29, 2020, the Union Cabinet approved the National Education Policy (NER) 2020, introducing major reforms in higher education , including a target of 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035 and provisions for multiple entry and exit points . NEP 2020 includes imparting vocational education from class 6 onwards, a progress card in place of the report card, 5 + 3 + 3 + 4 structure, multidisciplinary education with easy entry/exit options and an academic bank of credit The policy aims to enable an individual to study one or more specialised areas of interest at a deep level, and also develop character, scientific temper, creativity, the spirit of service, and 21st-century capabilities across a range of disciplines, including sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities, among others.
