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Business Standard
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Why Ati's humanoid will skip parties and go straight to factory floors
Inside Saurabh Chandra's Bengaluru-based robotics lab, India's deep-tech story takes a bold turn with Sherpa Mecha, a machine built not to mimic humans, but to outperform them Abhijeet Kumar New Delhi Listen to This Article In a quiet corner of Bengaluru's startup ecosystem, far from the glamour of apps and fintech, Ati Motors is working on what may be India's most ambitious bet in deep-tech: industrial humanoid robots. The company recently unveiled Sherpa Mecha, a robot built not to replicate humans in form or function, but to surpass them in industrial tasks. 'Most humanoids want to mimic a person as closely as possible,' says Saurabh Chandra, founder and CEO of Ati Motors. 'Our approach is different — we want a superhuman.' Launched at its 2025 Product Day event last week, Sherpa Mecha is the latest
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Business Standard
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
China's new digital ID plan links every click to the Communist Party
The scheme issues each person who registers a unique "internet code" and a digital certificate after submitting their national ID card and facial recognition data Abhijeet Kumar New Delhi Earlier this month, China rolled out a government-run national digital identity system for internet users, administered jointly by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS). The age-old idea that 'someone is always watching' is no longer a metaphor. It's fast becoming a technical certainty in the 'communist' nation. With the rollout of a sweeping state-run digital ID system, every login, post, purchase, and comment made online could soon be tied directly to a government-issued certificate. What was once an abstract concern about surveillance, the architecture of total visibility is now being coded into the country's internet backbone — line by line and login by login. The scheme issues each person who registers a unique 'internet code' and a digital certificate after submitting their national ID card and facial recognition data. Initially optional, it already supports trials across major platforms like Taobao and Xiaohongshu and is expected to extend rapidly to the country's one billion internet users. What issues does China's digital ID system raise? The new system replaces platform-managed identity verification (via phone numbers or user IDs) with a centrally controlled database. While platforms lose access to raw identity data, authorities gain a unified view across all registered online accounts — potentially mapping a user's entire digital footprint within one system, The Washington Post reported. Although proponents point to enhanced data security, privacy experts have warned that consolidating sensitive biometric and identity data increases the risks of large-scale leaks. Like in 2022, when hackers reportedly exposed personal records for over one billion people from a Shanghai police database, including names, ID numbers, and phone data. Though the government describes the ID as voluntary, critics say it may become mandatory by default: access to essential online services (payment systems, messaging, commuting apps) could depend on possession of a digital ID. Once legal usage becomes compulsory, refusal would effectively block a citizen from daily life online. What does the Chinese government claim is the purpose? Chinese authorities have promoted the digital ID as a 'protective shield' — a measure designed to safeguard citizens' personal information from corporate misuse, fraud, and data leaks by reducing the need to hand over real-name credentials to myriad online platforms. According to an official statement, it supports convenience, privacy protection, and the healthy growth of China's digital economy. Why are critics slamming the move? Experts around the world contend the system will enable more precise surveillance — potentially leading to personalised censorship, tailored not by geography or platform, but by individual users. This means content, account access, or online presence could be restricted at the personal level. Additionally, the digital ID fast-tracks the erosion of what little anonymity remained under China's existing real-name laws. How does China's surveillance approach compare globally? China's surveillance matrix, which comprises the Great Firewall, Project Sharp Eyes video network, deep-packet inspection of internet traffic, mandatory real-name accounts on platforms like Weixin/WeChat, and widespread facial-recognition cameras, is among the world's most pervasive state systems. Human rights organisations have warned that China's internet ID model may become a template for other authoritarian governments seeking to formalise or intensify digital control. Organisations like Article 19 and Chinese Human Rights Defenders highlight an international concern: adoption of such systems elsewhere could erode online freedoms globally. Where does China's 'Hukou system' fit into the picture? China's legacy hukou household-registration system already divides citizens into rural or urban residence categories, restricting access to services, jobs, social benefits, and mobility. The digital ID scheme, layered atop hukou, will further deepen state tracing, tying together not only physical residency but digital presence to national identity. Citizens might find themselves cut off online if they migrate without hukou status updates, or face constraints in accessing local digital services outside their residential tier. This replicates the physical constraints of hukou in the digital realm, locking users to location-tied identity and reinforcing social hierarchy. How will Chinese companies interact with the digital ID system? Under the new rules, private companies will no longer manage identity validation themselves: they must accept the government-issued digital certificate for user login and verification. The CAC and MPS effectively sell or license identity-validation data — platforms 'buy' or process data via government channels rather than build their own user-ID infrastructure. This will potentially shift monetisation of identity control away from companies toward the state. In theory, it reduces third-party data aggregation by platforms — but it also removes one layer of separation between citizens and direct oversight by authorities. Firms will become more or less obliged to integrate with state-issued credentials rather than holding user identities themselves. What would life look like for ordinary Chinese citizens? In everyday terms, the digital ID system promises seamless access to online services without entering phone numbers or ID each time. But the trade-off is deeper: once registered, every post, comment, purchase, and login could be directly linked to one unique number traceable by the state. That raises concerns about digital exile — if someone loses or is restricted in their ID, they may be locked out of financial services, messaging apps, shopping portals, and transit systems. Content posting becomes riskier; users may avoid sensitive topics, lest their digitally authenticated activity draws attention. This intensified, centralised oversight mirrors the hukou system's control over where you live, work, or enroll in school. In the digital realm, that translates into control of what one says, where they browse, and which online services they can use — all connected by a single, state-issued ID.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Time of India
Wanted criminal, 3 aides held after police encounter
1 2 Prayagraj: A wanted criminal was injured and arrested along with three of his aides after an encounter with police near Elina City Road area, Kareli, late on Sunday night. The police also seized stolen jewellery worth over Rs 6.50 lakhs, one country-made pistol of 0.315 bore along with live and used cartridges, and one bike from the spot. Additional DCP (City) Abhijeet Kumar told TOI, "Acting on a tip-off about a gang of three robbers plotting a major crime, a joint team of the special operation group (SOG), surveillance cell and Kareli police rushed to Elina City Road and challenged the criminals." When cops tried to stop three of them travelling on a bike, one of them opened fire on a police party. Cops retaliated leaving one criminal injured in the exchange of fire. The injured criminal, identified as Mohd Husnain, a resident of Dhoomanganj, was admitted to the district hospital for treatment. His aides, identified as Saifullah alias Rider of Shahganj and Fahad Aziz of Kareli, were also arrested after a brief chase. Cops later arrested another jeweller identified as Gopal of Jaunpur near the Khuldabad area. Police said that the arrested criminals, including Husnain and his two accomplices, executed many thefts and burglaries in the city's posh area for the past couple of years. tnn
India Gazette
07-07-2025
- India Gazette
Uttar Pradesh: Three miscreants nabbed in Prayagraj encounter
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 7 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Police nabbed three miscreants following an encounter in Kareli, Prayagraj on Monday. One miscreant got injured in the encounter and is being treated in a hospital. According to the police, the miscreants attempted to flee from the checkpoint when police followed them. They fired at police, and in retaliation, police fired shots, injuring one of the three miscreants. The other two accused were also detained by the police. Prayagraj Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abhijeet Kumar told ANI, 'The night between July 6 and 7, a check was conducted for a suspect and a vehicle. Three men on a bike were asked to stop at the checkpoint under the jurisdiction of Saidpur Chowki, Police Station Kareli. They broke the checking barrier and tried to flee. A police team followed them.' 'The police were shot at, and during retaliation, one of the miscreants was fired at. The other two were also caught. The injured miscreant is being treated in a hospital. A necessary action will follow,' ACP Kumar added. In a similar incident on June 30, one person who was accused of a robbery case worth Rs 1.5 crore was injured in an encounter with the police in Ghaziabad's Kavi Nagar, as per the information by Ghaziabad ACP Bhaskar Verma. The incident was reported from the intervening night of June 29 and 30, when, during a check at the Diamond Tiraha, the police monitored a four-wheeler approaching suspiciously towards them. While the police were trying to stop the car, it collided with a tree. The accused tried to flee from the incident spot and started firing at the police officials. However, in self-defence firing from the police officials, the accused got injured. 'Today, a police check was conducted at Diamond Tiraha in the Kavi Nagar police station area. During this time, a four-wheeler was seen approaching suspiciously. While trying to stop it, the car collided with a tree. A person got out of it, ran away, and fired at the police. The police fired in self-defence, due to which he got shot in the leg.', ACP Bhaskar Verma said. (ANI)
Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Garbage not being taken from homes, dumped on roads
1 2 3 4 Lucknow: Irregular door-to-door garbage collection across several localities has led to open dumping and waste accumulation in public spaces, raising serious sanitation concerns in the state capital. A TOI reality check on Sunday across Gomtinagar, Mahanagar, Alambagh, Maulviganj, and Sitapur Road revealed that waste remained uncollected in many areas. However, Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) officials said the disruption in some areas may have been due to sanitation workers being on leave during Bakrid. In Mahanagar, residents said garbage had not been collected for two consecutive days. "Since the waste wasn't collected from doorsteps, people dumped it in the open, where it was later scattered by stray animals," said Rajesh Yadav, 53. In Alambagh, concerns were heightened due to the onset of the rainy season. "With the rains approaching, scattered garbage poses a health risk. The collection service has been inconsistent in our area," said Abhijeet Kumar, 43. In Chandarnagar, garbage was seen dumped along roads and near shops. "There's a strong stench in the area due to open dumping," said Neetu, a commuter from Alambagh. Vendors in the area shared similar concerns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's The Average Price of Gutter Protection For 2,500 Sq Ft House LeafFilter Gutter Protection Get Quote Undo "Garbage is regularly dumped here, creating an unpleasant environment. Still, we have to keep working—this is our livelihood," said Mohan Singh, a roadside stall owner. In some parts of Alambagh, despite regular visits by municipal vans, residents were seen discarding waste outside their homes. "The van comes routinely, but many avoid handing over waste and instead dump it outside. This habit is harming the area's cleanliness," said Preeti, a resident of the area. Similar complaints emerged from Gomtinagar as well. Shivendra Singh, a resident of Vishesh Khand, said, "Garbage outside our home hasn't been picked up for three days. The odour is unbearable, and the mosquito problem has worsened." In Vijyant Khand, residents reported overflowing bins and unattended waste. With the monsoon nearing, residents are concerned about potential waterlogging, mosquito breeding, and outbreaks of diseases like dengue and gastrointestinal infections. Those living along Sitapur Road urged the LMC to not only ensure timely collection but also run awareness campaigns against open dumping. When contacted, senior municipal official Lalit Kumar said, "Instructions have been issued to all operators to ensure complete waste collection and proper disposal. Non-compliance will lead to penalties."
