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After nine-month long space residence, astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are ready to come back on board the SpaceX Crew Dragon Crew-9. Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who have been stuck on the International Space Station, are finally preparing for a return to Earth. The pair, who started a 10-day mission on the Boeing Starliner, have been stuck for the last nine months. Nasa cleared a relief crew on Friday to fly on SpaceX Dragon next week back home. The duo will be back on Earth on March 16, according to Nasa officials.

Williams and Wilmore were sent on a crewed flight test on June 5. But following successive failures to their capsule, they have been residing on the ISS. The astronauts who were to be on board the Starliner spacecraft for almost 10 days experienced problems with their capsule, compelling the agency to delay their return indefinitely.

The Starliner itself came back solo in September of last year. Weeks later, though, the Nasa astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were blasted on the SpaceX Crew-9 trip with two spaces on their Dragon spacecraft booked for the stranded spacemen. Initially, they had been booked for return in February; all four will now head back together on March 16

During a press conference, Nasa's ISS program manager Dana Weigel clarified that as Crew-9 was flying with two astronauts, it made sense to include Williams and Wilmore for the long-duration one. For its part, Crew-10 is scheduled to blast off on March 12 from Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) with Nasa astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA's Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos' Kirill Peskov. Originally set to travel on a new Crew Dragon, Crew-10 will now board the Endurance capsule because of delays in the construction of the new spacecraft.

Reportedly, the switch follows public statements from US President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk regarding stranded astronauts. Yet, Nasa officials insisted the choice was in the works prior to the public statements. Nasa's Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stitch clarified that the spacecraft production delays are routine, and the switch to Endurance was completed in late January.

Nasa's Crew-9 and Crew-10 flights are under the Commercial Crew Program with SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. August 2024's Crew-9 flew Nasa's Nick Hague and Roscosmos' Aleksandr Gorbunov, with seats empty for Wilmore and Williams. March 12, 2025's Crew-10 will replace Crew-9 with a six-month duration. It will be flown aboard the veteran Dragon Endurance rather than a new one due to manufacturing issues, facilitating the ISS operations to continue.

Startups, researchers, application developers and others can now make use of 14,000 GPUs (graphics processing units) of the IndiaAI Compute Portal, with 4,000 more under development, said union electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday.

The government is in the process of considering 67 applications for an Indian foundational model, out of which 22 are large language models, he said.

Quarter by quarter, we will keep adding GPUs," Vaishnaw replied, stating that most of the common compute facility would be utilized in developing India's own foundation model.

"I've instructed the team, pick up the applications that are highly mature, and take at least three or five of them, so that we start working on it.

Vaishnaw also inaugurated AI Kosha, the IndiaAI Datasets Platform, among others under the IndiaAI Mission, a year since it was launched with a Rs 10,000 crore outlay.

Data that is non-personal in nature from several ministries and departments such as those of the agriculture department, meteorology, logistics, and datasets on Bhashini, which is the government portal for translating Indian languages, can be used for model training on AI Kosha, according to Vaishnaw. The government also negotiates with the private players for them to donate non-personal data to the platform.

An AI Competency Framework was initiated for civil servants' capacity building, as was iGOT AI under the iGOT Karmayogi government capacity building platform to suggest courses specific to civil servants' jobs. Additionally, 27 AI data labs are being established in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, Vaishnaw stated.

More than a million civil servants have enrolled for AI courses on the platform to date, and close to 950,000 of them have completed them, he added.

The GPU center will be accessible for Rs 67 per GPU hour. "The manner in which we launched a mission to the moon at a fraction of the price at which the developed world did, we'll have our base model also at a fraction of the price that some of the rich world nations have done," Vaishnaw stated.

The world actually values the concept that we are investing public money in building a shared compute facility, while in most other places the compute facility is owned by large corporations," he said.

India will also have its own GPU chips in three to four years, Vaishnaw stated, and India will be among the top five tech countries in five years across fields such as AI, semiconductors, and deeptech.

The US's 50,000 limit on GPU exports to nations such as India does not impact us, Vaishnaw stated.

Addressing the launch, Meity secretary S Krishnan explained regarding the recent investments witnessed in the US, "If you look at that $500 billion, it's by a group of private investors, to be invested not only in the United States but around the world over several years, and not one rupee or not $1 of that is actually from the government.". Whereas, in this case, we have a very concentrated and very defined program of how one would actually go about rolling out artificial intelligence adoption on a nationwide scale, through seven very defined verticals that will aid each aspect of what needs to take place.

IndiaAI Mission CEO Abhishek Singh called on more government agencies and departments to join the initiative in adding value to the datasets platform, and asserted collaborations with startups and industry would be pivotal in fulfilling India's massive expectations from AI.

The ministry also declared the top 30 AI solutions from the IndiaAI Innovation Challenge under themes such as healthcare, learning disabilities, and governance, the IndiaAI Startups Acceleration Program with Station F, and identified students who are receiving fellowships under the skilling pillar of the IndiaAI Mission.

India is taking a techno-legal path to AI, Vaishnaw added. For example, under the AI safety pillar, IIT Jodhpur has created a deepfake detection tool.

The government is also reviewing the recommendations that have been received during consultations on the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, which is in its "final lap", Vaishnaw added.

With a youth population that is a major driving force in the country, empowering them to be change-makers is key to economic and social development. One such endeavor that has been successfully empowering the youth for more than a decade is the Jagriti Yatra, presented with pride by the State Bank of India (SBI).

What is Jagriti Yatra?

Jagriti Yatra is a 15-day train journey every year that carries 450 young Indians on an 8,000 km ride through the nation. The yatra travels to different entrepreneurial centers, where participants get a chance to interact with role models who have positively contributed to society. The journey aims at inspiring and empowering India's youth to become entrepreneurs, and promoting economic growth and social development.

Mission and Objectives

• The purpose of Jagriti Yatra is to stir the entrepreneurship spirit in young Indians. The yatra endeavors to:
• Detect and kindle the entrepreneurial flair in young Indians
• Offer an opportunity for students to interact with and learn from successful entrepreneurs as well as inspirations
• Evoke a community and teamwork culture among students
• Inspire the students to innovate and come up with creative ideas to solve economic and social challenges

Impact and Success Stories

Since its launch in 2008, Jagriti Yatra has motivated more than 5,000 young Indians to start businesses and become entrepreneurs, generating jobs and fueling economic growth. Numerous participants have founded their own businesses, developing innovative solutions to economic and social challenges. Some of the key success stories are:

Participants who have founded their own companies, generating employment opportunities for scores of people

Members who have created innovative solutions to social issues, including education, health, and conservation

Members who have emerged as community leaders, creating positive change and development

How to Apply

The application process for Jagriti Yatra typically begins in September every year. Interested candidates can apply online through the Jagriti Yatra website. The selection process involves a rigorous evaluation of the candidate's entrepreneurial potential, leadership skills, and commitment to creating positive change.

Jagriti Yatra is a dynamic initiative that can bring about the transformation of India's youth into change-makers. In empowering young Indians to become entrepreneurs, Jagriti Yatra is fueling economic growth, social development, and positive change. If you are a young Indian with entrepreneurial aspirations and a desire to bring about positive change, apply for Jagriti Yatra today and start a life-changing experience

Multilingual education is becoming the standard for Indian students as more of them go both domestically and abroad for higher education. A recent survey found that over 50% of Indian schools now offer instruction in many languages, helping children adapt to different linguistic contexts.

Multilingual Learning: A Growing Trend

According to the poll, Hindi, English, and regional languages are the most commonly taught languages in India, where 55% of schools offer instruction in more than two languages. The need for students to communicate across linguistic and cultural boundaries is becoming more and more important, especially as more of them travel to study in countries or states where their mother tongue is not widely spoken.

Challenges in Multilingual Education

Although multilingual education has its benefits, schools continue to grapple with language disparities, inadequate trained teachers, and limited resources. Most students are challenged when the instruction medium is not the same as their native language.

Another issue is teacher training. Most schools do not have instructors who can successfully instruct in several languages, and it becomes challenging to offer quality multilingual education.

Multilingual Education's Advantages

Despite these difficulties, learning multiple languages provides long-term advantages. Multiple language proficiency has been linked to greater employment prospects, sharper minds, and enhanced problem-solving abilities, according to studies.

The ability to speak and understand multiple languages will become increasingly crucial as more Indian students pursue professional advancement and study overseas. To ensure that pupils succeed in this new setting, schools and legislators must make investments in better teacher preparation programs and linguistic assistance services.

It is an incredible feat that Atharva Kulkarni has achieved the status of JEE Main 2025 topper, leaving a trail of inspiration behind for aspiring candidates. As we hear about his path, we discover the devotion, perseverance, and planning that led him to the pinnacle.

His journey began in Class 11, when he firmly decided and set out to study for JEE Main. Early training gave him adequate time to learn complex concepts, hone his problem-solving skills, and stay one step ahead of preparation.

With the improvements in Atharva, he formulated a study schedule that spent special time on each of his subjects. Through this reflective approach, he succeeded in planning and scheduling his study routine in such a manner that he conserved his precious time without neglecting the aspect that he covered all the subjects exhaustively and multiple times. His schedule reflected his sincerity and commitment towards achieving his desired goal.

To acquaint himself with the exam format and improve his problem-solving skills, Atharva solved mock tests and previous year papers. With this rigorous practice, he could identify areas where he needed to improve and develop strategies to tackle complex problems. As the examination date neared, Atharva intensified his preparation, staying motivated and engrossed.

To avert burnout, he took breaks in time, sought advice of teachers and guides when needed, and celebrated small milestones with small celebrations. All his hard work paid off because he scored exceptionally well in the exams, showing his mastery over the subjects.

To boost tourism and strengthen cultural ties, Russia has announced that Indian tourists will be able to travel visa-free starting spring 2025. This initiative aims to make Russia a more accessible and attractive destination for Indian travelers, simplifying the process and encouraging more visitors to explore its rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant cities.

Officials believe this decision will lead to a significant rise in tourist arrivals from India, which was among the top five countries for e-visa issuance to Russia in 2023. By removing visa barriers, Russia hopes to tap into India’s growing outbound tourism market and promote cultural exchanges between the two nations.

Key Highlights of the Initiative:

• Visa-free entry for Indian tourists starting from spring 2025
• Easier and faster travel process, eliminating the need for visa applications
• Projected surge in Indian tourist arrivals, benefiting Russia’s tourism industry
• Enhanced cultural and economic ties between India and Russia

With this decision, Russia joins a growing list of countries offering visa-free travel to Indian tourists, recognizing India's expanding footprint in global travel. The move is expected to attract more Indian visitors eager to explore destinations like Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Trans-Siberian Railway, and the scenic landscapes of Siberia.

For Indian travelers seeking new and exciting international experiences, Russia’s visa-free policy will be a major incentive. From the grandeur of the Kremlin and Red Square to the awe-inspiring beauty of Lake Baikal and the Northern Lights in Murmansk, the country offers a diverse range of attractions that cater to history buffs, adventure seekers, and cultural enthusiasts alike.

With simplified entry requirements, Indian tourists can now plan spontaneous trips to Russia, making it a top destination for holidays, business, and cultural exploration. This initiative is expected to further deepen Indo-Russian relations, paving the way for stronger people-to-people connections and economic collaboration.