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New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Weeks after returning from the Axiom-4 mission, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Friday shared experiences of readjusting to life on earth like how even a mobile phone felt heavy to hold and he dropped his laptop thinking it would float like in space. Addressing a virtual press conference, Shukla and his Axiom-4 mission colleagues shared the experiences of their 20-day space mission and the 18-day stay at the International Space Station. "After 41 years, a Bharatiya returned to space. But this time, it was not a solitary leap, it was the beginning of India's second orbit. And this time, we are ready, not just to fly but to lead," Shukla said. Shukla became the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's sojourn as part of the Soviet Russian mission in 1984. Shukla's Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 25 and returned to earth on July 15. The Lucknow-born astronaut said the moment that stood out in the entire space sojourn was when he spoke to the "Prime Minister of Bharat" on June 28 with the tricolour floating behind him. "That moment symbolised India's re-entry into the conversation, not as a spectator but as an equal participant," Shukla said. Sharing his experience of re-adjusting to the gravity on earth, Shukla recalled the moment he asked for a phone to click pictures and how heavy it felt in his hand. "The minute I held the phone, I felt this was heavy. The same phone that we hold all day long felt really heavy to me," Shukla said. Sharing another instance, he said, "I had some work to do on my laptop. I was sitting on my bed and I just closed my laptop and left it to the side of the bed. I dropped my laptop thinking that it would float right next to me. Thankfully, the floor was carpeted so there was no damage done." Shukla said the 20-day mission exceeded his expectations and he learnt a lot that would help India in its Gaganyaan mission. He described his role not just as a spacefarer but as a "messenger showing what's possible". "But the true spark - believing in what is possible in space among young Indians - is what this mission was all about." Shukla said he had done all the homework Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to do on the space station. "I was asked to document everything that we were doing. I can assure you that I have done that very well. I am excited to come back and share all that with our programme. I am confident that all that knowledge is going to prove extremely useful and crucial for our own Gaganyaan mission," he said. "The knowledge that I have gained spans the history of human space missions. I have been fortunate to receive all that," he said. Shukla said the success of his mission has already started showing results as children back home have started asking how they can become astronauts. "That is also a big success for this mission because one of the primary reasons you do human spaceflight missions is to inspire the younger generation and get them to believe that they can be explorers as well. I think that is already partially achieved. I am extremely happy and pleased with the outcome of this mission," Shukla said. Shukla is expected to return to India mid-August. PTI SKU DIV DIV
IMPHAL, Nov 17: The NPP on Sunday withdrew support from the BJP-led Government in Manipur, even as violence continued to rock the state as offices of the Congress and the saffron party were ransacked in the hill district of Jiribam where an unidentified body was found earlier in the day, officials said. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp A BJP MLA's ancestral house was vandalised in Imphal Valley while a building owned by Ashab Uddin, the Independent legislator of Jiribam, was ransacked, officials said. The incidents occurred a day after irate mobs set fire to the residences of ...Read More >
OCCRP had published news articles against Adani; BJP MP Sambit Patra calls Rahul 'traitor of highest order' After a hiatus of two days, the Winter Session of Parliament plunged into chaos again Thursday, this time due to the ruling BJP targeting Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, accusing them of being part of a plan to "derail" India's economy and "disrupt" its democracy. Senior BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised the matter in the Lok Sabha, alleging that a "dangerous triangle" ...Read More >
Jamshedpur, Dec 17 (PTI) Tata Steel has operationalised an all-women shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, an initiative introduced in the country for the first time, a company statement said. Women employees were engaged in all the mining activities of the shift, including heavy earth moving machinery, shovel, loader, drill [...] Jamshedpur, Dec 17 (PTI) Tata Steel has operationalised an all-women shift at its Noamundi iron mine in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, an initiative introduced in the country for the first time, a company statement said. Wome ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought the stand of comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) on a PIL seeking its 14 reports on city administration to be made public. A bench of Justices Yashwant Varma and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar asked CAG to explain why its report could not be made public, and posted the hearing on January 24. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Woman Throws 4 Children Into Canal in Vijayapura Allegedly Due to Financial Distress, 2 Bodies Recovered. Brij Mohan, a retired civil servant, who filed the PIL said the voters in Delhi must be aware of ...Read More >
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) faced a potential hazard when an unusual odor was detected after opening the hatch of the Progress MS-29 cargo spacecraft. The crew quickly sealed off the affected area, initiated air-scrubbing systems, and wore personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure safety. NASA confirmed that air quality aboard the ISS returned to normal, and no risks remained for the crew. Investigations are underway to determine the source of the smell. The spacecraft will remain docked for six months, with the two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the Indian hockey team for winning the men's junior Asia Cup, saying their unmatched skill, unwavering grit and incredible teamwork have etched this victory into the annals of sporting glory. He said on X, "Proud of our hockey champions! It's a historic moment for Indian hockey as our Men's Junior Team wins the Junior Asia Cup 2024 title.Their unmatched skill, unwavering grit and incredible teamwork have etched this win into the annals of sporting glory." Araijeet Singh Hundal slammed four goals as defending champions Indi ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) A day after the members of Raj Kapoor's family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan thanked him for inviting them to "commemorate the extraordinary life and legacy" of their grandfather ahead of the cinema icon's birth centenary. The Kapoor family, including actors Ranbir Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and Neetu Kapoor, met the prime minister on Tuesday and invited him to the Raj Kapoor Film Festival to be held to celebrate the occasion. December 14, 2024 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor, an actor, editor, a director, and ...Read More >
Kanpur, January 27: Due to the massive influx of devotees for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, Varanasi's District Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh has announced that all schools in the district will be closed from Monday, January 27, 2025, to Wednesday, February 5, 2025. The decision is aimed at ensuring the safety of students and managing traffic congestion caused by the large number of pilgrims arriving in Varanasi for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Despite the school closures, online classes will continue as usual to maintain the academic schedule, News18 reported. This directive applies to all CBSE, ICSE ...Read More >
Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station (ISS) briefly sealed off a section of the station after noticing an unusual odor coming from the uncrewed Progress 90 spacecraft. NASA confirmed the odor was likely caused by "outgassing" from materials inside the spacecraft, a common occurrence when objects leave Earth's atmosphere. Despite initial concerns, there were no safety issues, and the crew continued their tasks. NASA's air scrubbing equipment cleared the air, ensuring normal conditions aboard the ISS. The Progress spacecraft had delivered nearly three tons of supplies, and the in ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) The Congress Wednesday said a "cover-up" is in the making after reports claimed entities connected to the Adani Group have approached the SEBI seeking settlement in a case that alleges violations of public shareholding norms through unfair practices. It asserted the "scam" requires serious punitive action, including arrests and raids by investigative agencies. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said a token settlement would make Indian institutions a laughing stock whose reputation has already been tarnished by the actions of Prime Minist ...Read More >
India's Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), Anantha Nageswaran, has urged regulators not to hinder innovations in the crypto and gaming sector. Speaking at the 2024 Global Economic Policy Forum on Wednesday, Nageswaran stressed the importance of regulatory transparency. He also advocated to strike a balance between fostering innovation and addressing social costs. "In a country with low per-capita income and financial illiteracy, not every innovation needs to be encouraged without any questioning. You have to have a social cost-benefit analysis of innovations such as Crypto and online gaming." He ...Read More >
Imphal, Jan 21 (PTI) Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday pleaded with people to take a pledge to work collectively to uphold the pride and dignity of Manipur on the occasion of statehood day. Manipur became a full-fledged state on January 21, 1972. "It was on this day in 1972 that Manipur became a full-fledged state of the Indian Union, marking a significant milestone in our history. On this momentous day, let us pledge to work collectively to uphold the pride and dignity of our beautiful state," the chief minister said on X. His comment comes at a time when the northeastern state is wi ...Read More >
Panaji, Dec 10 (PTI) Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Shane is the second person from the coastal state to receive the certificate, after Joseph Francis Pereira, another Pakistani citizen who was granted Indian citizenship in August this year. Shane, originally from Demello Wado ...Read More >
Hours after Atul Subash's wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha and brother Anurag were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide, the Bengaluru techie's father, Pawan Kumar Modi has questioned where Atul's four-year-old son is and said the family was worried about him. Modi thanked the police for arresting the woman and her family members. However, he said, "We don't know where she has kept our grandson. Has he been killed or is he alive? We don't know anything about him. I want my grandson ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya flagged off the 'Fit India Cycling Drive' at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here on Tuesday. Close to 500 cycling enthusiasts joined the three kilometres ride from the stadium to Raisina Hills and back, the initiative aimed at promoting cycling as a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. Also Read | ZIM vs AFG 2024: Rahmanullah Gurbaz Ruled Out of Zimbabwe ODI Series With Quadriceps and Hip Flexor Injuries. The event was flagged off by Mandaviya in the presence of Raksha Khadse, the minister of state (Sports), MP Tej ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 5 (PTI) BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn-in as the new chief minister of Maharashtra on Thursday evening at a grand ceremony here to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries. Fadnavis, who would be occupying the CM's post for the third time, along with two deputy chief ministers will take the oath of office, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told reporters, adding that other members of the cabinet will take oath later. Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde are expected to take oath as ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved bills to implement 'One Nation, One Election', and the draft legislations are likely to be introduced in Parliament in the ongoing Winter session, sources said. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government is keen on holding wider consultations on bills which are likely to be referred to a parliamentary committee. Sources said the government was also keen to consult the Speakers of various state legislative assemblies through the committee. Moving ahead with it ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Dec 12 (PTI) ISRO on Thursday said it has achieved a major milestone after its C20 cryogenic engine passed a critical test in ambient condition, featuring restart enabling systems. According to ISRO, this success was a vital step for future missions. "ISRO has successfully carried out the sea level hot test of its CE20 Cryogenic Engine featuring a nozzle area ratio of 100 at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu on November 29," the Indian space agency said in a statement. The indigenous CE20 cryogenic engine developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre is poweri ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 17 (PTI) Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday launched a veiled attack on party president Ajit Pawar over his exclusion from the new council of ministers, claiming Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in favour of his induction in the cabinet. He said Ajit Pawar, the NCP president, makes decisions for the party like Fadnavis for the BJP and Eknath Shinde for the Shiv Sena. Amid speculation over his "Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rehna" remark a day before, Bhujbal said he would speak on Wednesday after discussing with NCP workers and people from the Yeola cons ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the country will not tolerate Babasaheb Ambedkar's insult and demanded that Home Minister Amit Shah should apologise for his remarks in the Rajya Sabha. Several MPs of the INDIA bloc, including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest in Parliament premises demanding Shah's apology for his remarks which they claimed were an insult to B R Ambedkar. Sharing pictures from the protest, Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi, "Baba Saheb is the architect of the Constitution, ...Read More >
Shimla, Jan 14 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against two men from Haryana for allegedly raping a married woman in a hotel in Kasauli, officials said on Tuesday. The accused, Mohanlal Badoli and Jai Bhagwan alias Rocky, also made videos of the act and threatened to kill the victim if she disclosed the incident to anyone, they said. The FIR was registered in Kasauli in Solan district on December 13, 2024. A copy of the FIR was doing the rounds on social media on Tuesday. According to the FIR, the woman was staying in a hotel in Kasauli with her boss and friend when she and he ...Read More >
New Delhi [India] January 22 (ANI): Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a stand in defending the rights of Indian immigrants in the United States. Surjewala also highlighted the contributions of over 20,000 Indian immigrants and expressed concerns over the government's silence on the deportation orders under President Donald Trump's administration. Sharing a detailed post on X Surjewala said, "Dear Prime Minister Modi ji, Pls spare a few moments to watch Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde speaking the truth to President of United States of Amer ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Parents of Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla were elated after their son was selected as the pilot for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Axiom-4 mission, scheduled this year. The parents credited Shubhanshu's hard work and dedication for his success and also acknowledged the contribution his wife behind his success. Expressing her immense happiness in an interaction with ANI, Shukla's mother Asha Shukla said she can't express her emotions in words. "We cannot express our feelings in words," she said. "Our joy is unlimited; we cannot p ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 3 (PTI) Maharashtra's caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday visited a private hospital in Thane for a "check-up," two days before a new CM is sworn in at an open ground ceremony in south Mumbai. Even as it is not known yet who would take oath as chief minister at Azad Maidan on the evening of December 5, preparations are in full swing for the ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, about 2,000 VVIPs and some 40,000 supporters. Shinde, who had been staying at his private residence in Thane for the last few days, visited the hospital in the morning. "I ...Read More >
Kolkata, Dec 4 (PTI) A five-member delegation of monks went to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here on Wednesday to submit a memorandum demanding immediate steps to stop atrocities on Hindus and other religious minorities in the neighbouring country. Kartik Maharaj, one of the members of the delegation, said they had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to take legal recourse to ensure the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh. "Bigger protests will be organised in West Bengal if appropriate steps are not taken to ensure protection of the minorities in Ban ...Read More >
Srinagar, Dec 4 (PTI) Security forces continued their search for militants in the Dachigam forest here on Wednesday, a day after a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was killed in an encounter in the area, officials said. According to officials, the security forces halted their search on Tuesday night but maintained a tight cordon in the area. The search for militants in the vast mountainous and forest area of Dachigam resumed in the morning, they said. Also Read | ISRO PROBA-3 Mission Launch Delayed: Indian Space Agency Reschedules Launch of PSLV-C59 After Detecting 'Anomaly'. "The search operation ...Read More >
INDIA bloc MPs, donning black jackets with slogans like "Modi Adani Ek Hai", protested at Parliament demanding a joint probe into the Adani issue. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused PM Modi of evading discussion on the "Adani mega scam" while defending Adani's alleged corruption. Rahul Gandhi asserted that Modi won't investigate Adani as it would be like investigating himself.Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Thursday said the country's people want the "Adani mega scam" to be discussed in Parliame ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Ex-Karnataka Chief Minister and former External Affairs Minister SM Krishna died here early on Tuesday, leaving behind a rich legacy of statesmanship and public service that saw the 92-year-old leader scale all heights of political achievements. Suave, sophisticated and a man with enviable academic credentials, Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna started off his political innings as an independent MLA from Maddur in 1962, stunning a then Congress veteran in the elections, and went on to become the state's CM and later the country's External Affairs Minister. Tributes poured in for the fo ...Read More >
NDIA bloc leaders, who submitted a notice of no-confidence motion against the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday, blamed the chair for not allowing them to speak in the Rajya Sabha. The leaders held a joint press conference labelling several charges against the chairman. "His behaviour (RS chairman) has damaged the dignity of the country. He has brought such a situation in the history of parliamentary democracy that we had to bring this notice for the resolution (of no confidence ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) It will be a two-way fight between incumbent Arun Jaitley and former India cricketer Kirti Azad for the president's post in the three-day DDCA elections beginning here on Friday. The results will be declared on December 16. The Jaitley-led panel holds significant clout among the 3748 members likely to vote in the elections. Also Read | India Women's Cricket Team Fined For Slow Over-Rate in Second ODI Against Australia. Azad, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning India team and sitting Trinamool Congress MP from Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency, is confident of change ...Read More >