Blog - The Purbottar

23 Dec

IIT Guwahati Hosts State-Level ‘Design for Bharat’ Exhibition Under VBYLD 2026

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Department of Design at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati hosted the State-Level Exhibition for Design for Bharat - Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2026, aligning with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ initiative to nurture young leaders toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Launched as a national design challenge, Design for Bharat aims to spur youth-led innovation that addresses significant social, cultural, and economic issues using creative and design-driven approaches. The initiative focuses on promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation, facilitating mentorship from industry experts, and providing a platform for youth to showcase their…

23 Dec

Indra Kumar Limboo, Ashok Kumar Tshong Named for Chemjong Literary and Special Awards 2026

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

The 2026 Chemjong Literary Award will be conferred on noted Limboo writer Indra Kumar Limboo (Pokhim) of Sakyong, near Geyzing, in recognition of his long and dedicated contribution to Limboo literature. The award is considered one of the most respected honours in the Limboo literary world. Indra Kumar Limboo is a well-known novelist, poet and lyricist who has been closely associated with the Limboo literary movement for several decades. Through his writings and creative work, he has played an important role in the development, growth and promotion of the Limboo language. His work has helped preserve linguistic identity while encouraging…

23 Dec

IBM pledges to skill 5 million Indians in AI, cybersecurity and quantum by 2030

Business BureauBusiness

Global technology major IBM today announced an ambitious commitment to skill five million students and adult learners across India in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Quantum Computing by 2030. The initiative will be delivered through IBM SkillsBuild, advancing the company’s mission to create an equitable, future-ready digital workforce. IBM said the programme will expand emerging technology education across schools, universities and vocational training systems nationwide. The company will collaborate with AICTE to drive hands-on AI learning pathways, faculty development, curriculum integration, hackathons and internships. “India possesses the talent and ambition to lead the world in AI & Quantum. Fluency in frontier…

23 Dec

Samsung SmartThings first to support matter cameras, expands global smart home leadership

Business BureauBusiness

Samsung Electronics today announced that its smart home platform, SmartThings, has become the first in the industry to support Matter-compatible cameras through the new Matter 1.5 smart home standard. The rollout, scheduled to begin later this month, will expand SmartThings’ existing lineup of Matter devices such as lights, door locks, switches, and sensors by including next-generation security cameras. Matter 1.5, introduced by the Connectivity Standards Alliance in November, adds support for a wide range of camera types and enhanced smart home features including live video streaming, motion detection, event history and pan-tilt-zoom controls. The update also improves closure operations for…

23 Dec

Ambuja Cements effects mega merger in bid to streamline operations

Purbalee DuttaBusiness

Billionaire Gautam Adani is consolidating his cement businesses into a single structure to streamline operations and better compete with market leader UltraTech Cement in India’s fast-consolidating infrastructure sector. Ambuja Cements’ board has cleared the merger of ACC Ltd. and Orient Cement Ltd. into Adani Cements, according to a stock exchange filing dated December 22, 2025. The move creates a unified “One Cement” platform, addressing overlaps that remained after Adani Group acquired Holcim’s India operations in 2022. The consolidation also brings Sanghi Industries and Penna Cement—both recent acquisitions—under the same umbrella. Following the merger, Adani Group’s holding in Ambuja Cements will…

23 Dec

Alleging corruption in Jal Jeevan Mission, the Assam Congress steps up statewide protest

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has intensified its statewide protests alleging large-scale corruption and irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a flagship drinking water scheme. Leading the protest in Dhemaji town, APCC president Gaurav Gogoi demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to uncover what he described as serious financial misconduct and administrative failures under the scheme. The protest in Dhemaji was part of a broader campaign being carried out across Assam under the banner of the Congress party’s public outreach initiative, “Raijor Padulit–Raijor Congress.” Congress workers and leaders gathered at several locations in…

23 Dec

Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow 2025 showcases AI-driven green innovation across India

Business BureauBusiness

Samsung’s flagship education programme, Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2025, held in partnership with IIT Delhi, has spotlighted a new generation of young innovators leveraging technology to accelerate environmental sustainability. For decades, sustainability was perceived as sacrifice, but participants demonstrated how tech-led solutions can reduce waste and carbon footprints while driving economic growth. Under the theme “Environmental Sustainability via Technology,” thousands of students submitted prototypes targeting resource conservation, waste management, clean water supply, and carbon reduction. The winning team, Prithvi Rakshak, comprising three teenagers Abhishek Dhanda, Prabhkirat Singh and Rachita Chandok developed a modular, AI-enabled vermicomposting system that uses smart sensors…

23 Dec

KHRC Flags Rights Violations Against Bawm-Kuki Tribe in Bangladesh, Appeals for Global Intervention

Sonakshi SarkarNorth East

The Kuki Human Rights Council (KHRC), which advocates for indigenous rights, has made grave accusations against the Bangladesh Army, claiming severe human rights violations against the Bawm-Kuki tribe in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). In a statement released on December 22, the KHRC detailed a series of abuses allegedly perpetrated by Bangladeshi security forces, including unlawful arrests, custodial torture, and killings conducted under the guise of security operations in the region. These actions have instigated a palpable climate of fear amongst Bawm-Kuki villagers and suggest a systemic pattern of persecution targeting indigenous communities. The council highlighted a notable incident involving…

23 Dec

Manipal Hospitals’ ‘Anveshana’ brings spotlight on advanced GI, renal and cardiac care in South 24 Parganas

Business BureauBusiness

Manipal Hospital, EM Bypass, one of Eastern India’s leading healthcare providers under the Manipal Hospitals Group, hosted its flagship awareness initiative ‘Anveshana – Medical Education for Media’ in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas on Monday. The session highlighted the rising burden of gastrointestinal, kidney-related, and cardiac diseases across Eastern India and stressed timely diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment. Experts including Dr. Saurav Mukherjee (Gastroenterology), Dr. Rohit Rungta (Nephrology) and Dr. Debopriyo Mondal (Interventional Cardiology) discussed evolving disease patterns, lifestyle-linked risks and advancements in precision diagnostics, endoscopic procedures, dialysis support and catheter-based cardiac therapies such as TAVR and complex coronary interventions. Healthcare…

23 Dec

Tension in Tripura’s Baramura Hills as Surrendered NLFT Faction Blocks Assam–Agartala Highway

Sonakshi SarkarTripura

Tension flared in Tripura’s Baramura Hills late on Sunday night after members of a surrendered faction of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) blocked the Assam–Agartala National Highway, alleging that the government had failed to fulfil long-pending demands promised under their surrender agreement. According to the group, several assurances made by the government at the time of their surrender remain unimplemented despite repeated representations to the administration. Left with no alternative, they said, they resorted to blocking the national highway to draw attention to their grievances. The blockade caused severe inconvenience to the public, with the movement of both…