Blog - The Purbottar

23 Dec

A Grandfather’s Pride: Big B Applauds Agastya’s Poise and Screen Presence

Preeti SinghEntertainment

Amitabh Bachchan has expressed his admiration for his grandson Agastya Nanda's performance in Sriram Raghavan's war drama film Ikkis. In a heartfelt blog post, he reflected on his memories of holding Agastya as a newborn. In the film, Agastya portrays Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who is recognized as India's youngest Param Vir Chakra recipient. Khetarpal heroically fought and ultimately lost his life at the age of 21 during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Amitabh shares a heartfelt narrative on his blog about the journey of his grandson's life, from the moment of his birth as his mother, Shweta, was rushed to…

23 Dec

The appendix: not as useless as we once thought

Banasree SarkarHealth

Researchers now believe the appendix plays a role in the immune system, particularly during childhood and adolescence. The small, tube-shaped organ attached to the large intestine contains a high concentration of lymphoid tissue, which helps the body recognize and respond to harmful microbes. This has led scientists to see the appendix as part of the gut’s immune defense network rather than a biological accident. One of the most discussed discoveries involves gut bacteria. The appendix appears to act as a “safe house” for beneficial microbes. When illness, antibiotics, or digestive upset disrupts the balance of bacteria in the intestines, the…

23 Dec

Assam Book Fair 2025 to Expand into Major Literary Festival with National Footprint

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Book Fair in Guwahati will transform into a prominent literary festival this year, featuring significant participation from national publishers and enhanced programming, to honor young writers. Scheduled to run for 14 days starting December 24 at the Khanapara Veterinary College playground, this event is organized by the Publication Board Assam in conjunction with the All Assam Book Publishers and Sellers Association. Pramod Kalita, secretary of the Publication Board, noted that the fair's timing was adjusted to accommodate preparations for Republic Day, celebrated on January 26. This year's fair extends its duration from 12 days to 14, indicating growing…

23 Dec

Assam Minister Blames Misinformation for Karbi Anglong Violence; Hunger Strike Withdrawn

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Cabinet Minister Pijush Hazarika attributed the violence in Kheroni, Karbi Anglong on December 22 to misinformation and a misunderstanding among the populace, emphasizing the need for peace and unity. He assured that as clarity emerges, the situation will improve. Hazarika highlighted the importance of communal harmony and respect for the rights of both the Karbi people and other indigenous communities, advocating for collective peaceful progress. Meanwhile, the Karbi community, which had been on an indefinite hunger strike since December 6 over demands for indigenous land rights protection, ended their protest after the Assam government's assurances. Minister Ranoj Pegu acknowledged…

23 Dec

Virohan raises Rs 65 crore in Series B to power scalable healthcare education; eyes 1 million learners by 2030

Business BureauBusiness

Virohan, a leading healthcare education provider, has mobilised ₹65 crore ($7.5 million) in its ongoing Series B round led by Japan-based Mynavi Corporation, with participation from Blume Ventures, Bharat Inclusive Technologies Seed Fund and Rebright Partners. The company said the funding will accelerate its journey toward profitability through product innovation, operational efficiencies and strategic hiring. Founded in 2018, Virohan partners with over 20 higher education institutions including UPES, BBD University, Assam Don Bosco University and MIT University to deliver industry-aligned undergraduate programmes in allied healthcare, nursing and healthcare management. It works with more than 2,000 healthcare employers such as Medanta,…

23 Dec

To drive industry-linked, on-campus innovation, K’taka SSAHE partners with upGrad School of Technology

Business BureauBusiness

Karnataka-based Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SSAHE), a Deemed-to-be-University, has announced a strategic collaboration with upGrad School of Technology to embed an industry-aligned School of Technology within its existing engineering programmes. The partnership aims to support the University with curriculum advisory services and deeper industry integration to strengthen India’s computer engineering talent pipeline. Led by CEO Vishwa Mohan and Chief Revenue & Outcome Officer Mehul Khandhedia, upGrad School of Technology will develop practitioner-led modules, research exposure, build sprints and continuous specialisations from Day 1, supported by AI-first learning tools for personalised learning, skill tracking and academic assistance. The curriculum…

23 Dec

President Murmu Grants Assent to SHANTI Bill

Mohini BarmanNational

President Droupadi Murmu has officially signed the SHANTI (Sovereign Healthcare and National Technology Initiative) Bill into law, marking a transformative shift in India’s energy policy. The legislation provides the legal framework to de-monopolize nuclear power generation, allowing private sector players to build and operate small modular reactors (SMRs) alongside state agencies. This move is expected to attract billions in domestic and foreign capital, accelerating India's transition to a net-zero baseload power grid by 2040.

23 Dec

Truecaller unveils free AI voicemail in India, targets spam calls and expands local language support

Business BureauBusiness

Truecaller has launched a free voicemail service for Android users in India, integrating AI-powered transcription and automatic spam protection. The feature allows users to receive, record and store voice messages directly on their device, eliminating the need to dial voicemail numbers or remember PIN codes. The company said the new voicemail experience places privacy and convenience at the centre of voice communication, as messages are stored on-device. The service supports transcription in 12 Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Urdu, Punjabi, Nepali and Sanskrit, offering personalisation for diverse user bases. According to Truecaller, users can set up unlimited voicemail…

23 Dec

Northeast Zone Inter-University Football Meet to Be Hosted by Royal Global University

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Under the auspices of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), the Assam Royal Global University (RGU) is set to host the Northeast Zone Inter University Football (Men) Tournament for the 2025-2026 season. Scheduled to occur at the RGU campus in Guwahati from January 5 to January 11, 2026, the tournament serves as a key initiative for RGU to promote values such as discipline, teamwork, and sportsmanship while also strengthening inter-university unity across the region. The opening ceremony on January 5 will feature Kento Jini, the Minister of Law, Legislative and Justice, as well as Sports & Youth Affairs from the…

23 Dec

Tata Motors’ integrated village development programme empowers Chandrakant to become a Lakhpati kisan

Business BureauNorth East

For decades, farmers across rural and tribal belts in India have struggled with water scarcity, unpredictable monsoon patterns and limited livelihood opportunities. Chandrakant Sonya Andher, a farmer from a tribal hamlet in Jawhar block of Palghar district, lived through the same reality. With only matriculation education and two acres of rainfed land, he faced uncertain crop yields and limited income. The remaining land on his property stayed uncultivable due to lack of irrigation, forcing him to migrate seasonally to nearby cities for construction and other manual labour jobs. The turning point arrived when Tata Motors introduced its Integrated Village Development…