Blog - The Purbottar

10 Jan

Camera trap study charts leopard movement across Guwahati

Sonakshi SarkarGuwahati

A comprehensive scientific camera trap study has been conducted in Guwahati to evaluate leopard presence, habitat use, and movement patterns, representing the first grid-based leopard estimation effort in eastern India, according to forest officials. The study involved deploying camera traps in key forests, wildlife corridors, and urban fringe areas, aiming to provide crucial data for mapping leopard habitats and movement routes, which will bolster science-based wildlife management and promote human-leopard coexistence in the rapidly urbanizing capital. Survey teams examined all significant hill ranges around Guwahati, including Adingiri, Gotanagar, Nilachal, Kharghuli, Hengerabari, and Bhangagarh. They recorded multiple signs of leopard presence—such…

10 Jan

Jio Platforms May Enter Public Markets Without Heavy Equity Give-Up

Preeti SinghBusiness

Jio Platforms Ltd. intends to sell a 2.5% stake in its planned IPO for 2026, potentially establishing it as India's largest IPO at over $4 billion. Led by Mukesh Ambani, the parent company of Reliance Jio, which boasts over 500 million users, this IPO is the most anticipated in the country for the year. In November, Jefferies estimated Reliance Jio's valuation at $180 billion, meaning a 2.5% stake sale could generate $4.5 billion, surpassing Hyundai Motor India's $3.3 billion IPO. Over six years, Jio has diversified into AI and attracted investments from KKR, General Atlantic, Silver Lake, and the Abu…

10 Jan

786 students from NE visit ISRO centres under NE-SPARKS

Sonakshi SarkarNorth East

A total of 786 students from the Northeast ISRO centers under the Northeast Students Programmed for Awareness, Reach, and Knowledge on Space (NE-SPARKS) in 2025. According to an official statement, NE-SPARKS was executed in eight batches between April 2025 and December 2025, with a minimum interval of one month between consecutive batches. Each batch comprises 90-100 students representing the eight Northeastern states, accompanied by 10 coordinators who facilitated and guided the educational journey. An initiative of the Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region, Government of India, the Northeast Students Programmed for Awareness, Reach, and Knowledge on Space (NE-SPARKS) is a flagship initiative designed…

10 Jan

Two-day Assam visit: PM Modi scheduled to arrive on Jan 17

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Assam on January 17 for two days. During his trip, he will lay the foundation for a 34.5-km elevated corridor at Kaziranga National Park on January 18, as announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. On January 17, PM Modi will also attend a large cultural event featuring nearly 10,000 Bagurumba dancers at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Guwahati. Additionally, he will virtually flag off two new train services: one from Dibrugarh to Gomti and another from Guwahati to Raota. This marks PM Modi's second visit to Assam within…

10 Jan

Historic milestone: Assam Don Bosco University set to launch Northeast’s first satellite

Sonakshi SarkarNorth East

Northeast India’s first satellite, LACHIT-1, was launched aboard ISRO’s PSLV-C62 on January 12, marking a significant advancement in space technology for the region. Developed by Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space through its Polar Access-1 program, LACHIT-1 was created with the involvement of over 50 students and faculty from northeastern states including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur. The satellite is named after Lachit Borphukan, an esteemed Ahom general, reflecting a deep historical connection. The satellite's creation involved students from ADBU (Assam Don Bosco University) working closely with Dhruva Space on various stages such as integration workflows, functional testing, and launch readiness.…

09 Jan

Cong-led Opp parties desperate to promote ‘Miya identity’ in Assam: BJP

SonaliAssam

The BJP today claimed that the opposition parties of Assam, led by the Congress, have come together in a desperate attempt to patronize the Miya community and promote the rise of Miya identity in the state. This comes in the backdrop of open claims by Badruddin Ajmal regarding his eligibility to become the Chief Minister of Assam, the joining of Ajit Bhuyan — who became a Rajya Sabha MP with AIUDF votes — into the Assam Jatiya Parishad, and the controversy over deletion of 11,000 Miya voters from the Sarupathar Assembly constituency.In a press statement issued today, State BJP spokesperson…

09 Jan

Human–elephant conflict turns deadly in Hojai, three killed within four days

Sonakshi SarkarNews

Hojai district is experiencing an acute crisis due to increasing incidents of human–elephant conflict, as evidenced by three fatalities in the early days of the New Year. The latest victim, Prakash Biswas, was trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants in the Radhanagar area on January 4, after the elephants invaded his home, resulting in significant destruction and chaos. The previous incidents included the deaths of Basudev Chouhan on January 1, attacked while grazing his cow, and Anil Kumar Singh on January 2, who was overwhelmed by elephants while returning from a picnic. The frequent elephant incursions into…

09 Jan

Wildlife conservation push: Assam and Madhya Pradesh to exchange animals

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In a landmark initiative for inter-state wildlife conservation, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati to formalize an agreement for the exchange of wild animals. This collaboration aims to enhance biodiversity and restore species that have locally gone extinct. Under the agreement, Assam will translocate 50 wild water buffaloes to Madhya Pradesh over three years, as well as a pair of one-horned rhinoceroses and three king cobras. The rhinos and king cobras will be acclimatized and displayed at Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal, while the wild buffaloes will be reintroduced…

09 Jan

India launches second phase of BIMSTEC cancer care training in Visakhapatnam

Business BureauBusiness

The second phase of a specialised cancer care training programme for BIMSTEC countries has begun at the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre of the Tata Memorial Centre in Visakhapatnam. Organised in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the four-week programme will train 35 cancer care specialists from BIMSTEC member nations, underscoring India’s expanding role in regional healthcare capacity building. The programme was formally inaugurated on January 5 by C. S. R. Ram, Joint Secretary (BIMSTEC & SAARC), MEA. He said cancer experts from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are participating, and highlighted the…

09 Jan

First highway-based emergency landing strip in Northeast coming up in Dibrugarh–Moran

Sonakshi SarkarNorth East

Assam is poised to inaugurate its first highway-based emergency landing strip along the Dibrugarh–Moran stretch of the National Highway, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announcing the facility's launch in February. The project may receive a notable inauguration by the Prime Minister or the Defence Minister. Spanning 4.2 kilometers, the strip is capable of accommodating civilian aircraft as well as Indian Air Force fighter jets like the Sukhoi and Rafale. Sarma highlighted that this alternative landing option is crucial if Dibrugarh airport is inaccessible. The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) is executing the project, which is unique…