India to Host First Global Conference on Manuscript Heritage

India will host its first-ever global conference on manuscript heritage from September 11 to 13, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Announced by the Ministry of Culture, this major event aims to protect, promote, and share India’s ancient manuscript knowledge with the world. The announcement was made on Guru Purnima, highlighting the country’s respect for its rich guru–śiṣya tradition and knowledge legacy.

A Global Effort to Preserve Ancient Wisdom

Titled “Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy Through Manuscript Heritage”, the three-day international event will gather over 500 delegates, including 75 well-known scholars and cultural experts from India and abroad. The event will be conducted in a hybrid format—allowing both in-person and online participation—to ensure wide global reach.

India has more than 10 million manuscripts in various scripts and languages, covering areas like philosophy, science, medicine, literature, rituals, and arts. This conference is a step toward protecting this rare knowledge and making it more accessible to younger generations and global researchers.

A Tribute to India’s Global Vision

The event is also a tribute to Swami Vivekananda’s historic speech at the Parliament of the World’s Religions on September 11, 1893. That date was chosen for the conference as a reminder of India’s deep-rooted commitment to global peace and knowledge sharing.

The event will feature rare manuscript exhibitions, including works listed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, along with live conservation demos, cultural programs, workshops, and displays by startups focused on manuscript innovation.

Key Initiatives and Programmes

The conference will launch a special plan called the Manuscript Research Partner (MRP) programme, offering training, script labs, and hands-on workshops for young scholars. Another major outcome will be the New Delhi Declaration on Manuscript Heritage, which will guide future actions on preservation, translation, and digitisation.

There will also be sessions on modern topics like AI-based archiving, ethical conservation, digitisation, palaeography, and using manuscript knowledge in education. Interested researchers can submit their papers or case studies by August 10, 2025, on the official website: https://gbm-moc.in. Queries and full papers can be sent to gbmconference@gmail.com.

DRDO, IAF Successfully Test Astra Missile from Su-30 MKI

On July 11, 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired the indigenous Astra missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter jet off the Odisha coast. The Astra, fitted with a Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, hit its targets with great accuracy. This test is important for strengthening India’s air combat abilities.

Successful Test off Odisha Coast

The missile test was conducted over the Bay of Bengal, where the Astra missile was fired twice from the Su-30 MKI aircraft. The tests were carried out against high-speed unmanned aerial targets, which were flying at different ranges and directions.
According to the Ministry of Defence, both missiles hit their targets accurately, proving the missile’s advanced capabilities.

About Astra Missile and RF Seeker

The Astra is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) designed to hit enemy aircraft far away from the launching aircraft. The newly tested version uses an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker, which helps the missile lock on to its target and guide itself during flight.
This seeker has been developed in India, showing progress in self-reliant defense technology under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Boost to Indian Defence Power

This test marks a big step in India’s defense preparedness. With this successful trial, India moves closer to fully using home-made air-to-air missiles in its air force fleet.
Officials said that such successful tests also reduce India’s dependence on foreign missile systems and support its goal of defense self-sufficiency. More trials are expected before the missile is fully added to the Air Force’s regular weapons.

Government’s Tax Collections Dip Due to Higher Refunds

The Central Government’s net direct tax collections up to July 10, 2025, fell by 1.3% compared to the same period last year. This happened despite a rise in gross tax collections, due to a sharp increase in refunds. The data was released on July 11, 2025, and shows a shift in tax flow patterns early in the financial year.

What the Numbers Show

As per official data, gross direct tax collections — before refunds — rose by 3.2% to ₹6.6 lakh crore during the current financial year up to July 10. This includes taxes collected from corporate and non-corporate entities. However, refunds increased by 38%, reducing the net direct tax collections after refunds.

Net collections represent the actual revenue the government retains after returning any overpaid tax to businesses and individuals. Because of the high volume of refunds, the net figure is lower this year than the same period in the previous financial year.

Reason for the Dip

The fall in net collections has been caused by lower tax receipts from both corporate tax (paid by companies) and non-corporate tax (paid by individuals and other entities). Additionally, the rise in tax refunds — possibly due to faster processing or excess payments made earlier — reduced the final amount available to the government.

Officials noted that although the gross collection numbers show moderate growth, the larger refund outgo has had a direct effect on the net revenue figures.

Government’s Focus and What Lies Ahead

Even with this dip, the government is expected to continue focusing on improving tax compliance and ensuring timely processing of returns and refunds. Tax experts believe that net collections could recover in the coming months as business activity picks up and more tax filings come in ahead of deadlines.

The government may also adjust its strategies to maintain fiscal balance while continuing its welfare spending and infrastructure development plans.

India’s Maratha Forts Added to UNESCO World Heritage List

Maratha Military Landscapes of India were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris. This important recognition covers 12 historic forts built by the Maratha rulers between the 17th and 19th centuries. The listing highlights their unique military design and the rich history of India’s fort architecture.

What Is the Maratha Military Landscapes?

The Maratha Military Landscapes are a group of 12 forts that show the smart planning and strength of the Maratha Empire. These forts were built across different terrains — hills, coasts, and plains — to protect the kingdom and control trade routes. They include Salher Fort, Shivneri Fort, Lohgad, Khanderi Fort, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala Fort, Vijay Durg, Sindhudurg (all in Maharashtra) and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.

These forts were known for their clever use of nature, water storage systems, and strong walls. Built mostly between the 1600s and 1800s, they show how Marathas used military skills to build powerful defense structures.

UNESCO’s Decision and the Committee Meeting

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee took this decision during its 47th session in Paris. On X (formerly Twitter), UNESCO posted:

“New inscription on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List: Maratha Military Landscapes of India, #India.”

This nomination was part of the 2024–25 UNESCO World Heritage cycle, and Indian officials had worked hard to present the historical and cultural importance of these forts to the world. The recognition gives international importance to India’s fort heritage and adds value to future conservation efforts.

India’s Pride and Historical Significance

The Maratha forts were not just buildings — they were symbols of resistance, planning, and unity. Leaders like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used them to build and protect the Maratha Empire. Some of these forts, like Raigad and Pratapgad, are especially famous in Indian history.
For example, Pratapgad Fort, located about 22 km from Mahabaleshwar, played a key role in many battles and still stands strong today.

Indian historians, heritage experts, and government officials have welcomed this decision, saying it will help promote tourism, boost local pride, and ensure better care of these monuments.

Italy vs France: Battle of the Fashion Capitals

"Italy and France: Battle of the Fashion Capitals"

Italy and France are two of the most stylish countries in the world. Both are famous for their fashion, luxury brands and beautiful clothing styles. Milan and Paris are known as fashion capitals, leading the way in trends and design. This article will explore how Italian and French fashion are different, what makes each special and why both continue to inspire people around the world.

Fashion Cities of Italy and France

Milan is the fashion capital of Italy. It is known for its modern, luxurious and daring designs.

Paris, the fashion capital of France, is famous for elegance, grace and timeless beauty. Both cities host Fashion Weeks every year, where top designers show their newest collections.

Top Fashion Brands

Famous Italian Brands:

Gucci
Prada
Versace
Dolce & Gabbana

These brands focus on bold fashion and top-quality materials.

Famous French Brands:

Chanel
Louis Vuitton
Dior
Yves Saint Laurent

These brands are known for their classic, chic style.

Difference Between Italy and France

Here is the style differences Italy and France:

Style	Italian Fashion	French Fashion
Style	Bold, glamorous, eye-catching	Elegant, simple and timeless
Color	Bright colors and patterns	Neutral and soft tones
Design Focus	Strong shapes, modern styles	Clean lines, classic cuts
Vibe	Confident and dramatic	Effortless and graceful
Material Use	Luxurious fabrics, creative textures	High-quality fabrics, minimal designs

Fashion Weeks and Global Influence

Both Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week are world-famous. Designers from all over the globe come to show their collections. These events often start the trends for the year.

Paris is known for Haute Couture (very high-end, custom fashion).
Milan is known for ready-to-wear luxury and bold designs.

Top-10 Richest Indians in U.S. as of 2025, Check the List

Many Indian-origin people have become very successful in the United States, especially in business and technology. Some of them have been become billionaires. This list shows the top-10 richest Indians in the U.S. as of 2025. They have worked hard, built big companies and made a name for themselves. Their stories are inspiring and show how talent and effort can lead to great success.

Top-10 Richest Indians in U.S. 2025

Many Indian-origin entrepreneurs and executives in the U.S. have built remarkable wealth through technology, finance and aviation. This article lists the top-10 richest Indian-Americans in 2025, highlighting their impressive achievements and inspiring journeys from immigrant roots to business success.

Here is the list of top-10 richest Indians in U.S. by 2025:

Rank	Name	Wealth	Company
1.	Jay Chaudhry	$9 billion	Zscaler
2.	Vinod Khosla	$6.5 billion	Sun Microsystems, Khosla Ventures
3.	Romesh T. Wadhwani	$5.1 billion	SymphonyAI, Symphony Technology Group
4.	Rakesh Gangwal	$4 billion	IndiGo Airlines
5.	Niraj Shah	$2.8 billion	Wayfair
6.	Aneel Bhusri	$2.3 billion	Workday
7.	Kavitark Ram Shriram	$2.3 billion	Early Google investor, Sherpalo Ventures
8.	Brian Sheth	$2.2 billion	Vista Equity
9.	Jayshree Ullal	$1.43 billion	Arista Networks
10.	Bharat Desai	$1.27 billion	Syntel

Richest Indian in U.S. – Jay Chaudhry

Net worth: $9 billion

Jay Chaudhry is an Indian-American tech entrepreneur and the founder of Zscaler, a top cloud security company. Born in 1958, he worked his way up from a small village in India to become the richest Indian-American. With a net worth of $9 billion, he ranks 89th among the wealthiest people in the U.S.

Second Richest Indian in USA – Vinod Khosla

Net worth: $6.5 billion

Vinod Khosla is a successful Indian-American entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded Sun Microsystems and now leads Khosla Ventures, a major venture capital firm. With a net worth of $6.5 billion, he is the second richest Indian in the U.S. He invests in robotics and biotechnology, helping drive innovation across many industries.

Third Wealthiest Indian in USA – Romesh T. Wadhwani

Net worth: $5.1 billion

Romesh T. Wadhwani is the founder of Symphony Technology Group and a key leader at SymphonyAI. With a net worth of $5.1 billion, he ranks as the third richest Indian in the U.S. He focuses on enterprise software, artificial intelligence and philanthropy and is listed as the 215th richest person in America.

UNESCO Removes 3 African Sites from Danger List

UNESCO removed three important heritage sites in Madagascar, Egypt, and Libya from its World Heritage in Danger List. This happened during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris. It shows that strong actions taken by these countries have helped protect and restore the sites.

Sites Taken Off Danger List

The three African sites that were removed from the danger list are,

Rainforests of Atsinanana in Madagascar
Abu Mena in Egypt
Old Town of Ghadames in Libya

UNESCO praised these countries for their hard work in reducing threats like damage from illegal activities, rising water levels, war, and natural disasters. These sites are now more secure and are no longer considered in immediate danger.

Why They Were in Danger

The Rainforests of Atsinanana were listed as endangered in 2010 because of illegal logging, deforestation, and the loss of key species like lemurs. These forests are rich in plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

Abu Mena, a Christian pilgrimage site in Egypt, was placed on the danger list in 2001 due to flooding from irrigation, which weakened the site and caused some parts to collapse.

The Old Town of Ghadames in Libya was added to the list in 2016 because of war, wildfires, and flooding, which caused serious damage.

UNESCO’s Role and Statement

UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay said the removal of these sites from the danger list is a “great victory” for the world. She added that UNESCO is giving special attention to Africa by helping train experts and supporting countries to protect their heritage.

Since 2021, three other African sites in DR Congo, Uganda, and Senegal were also removed from the danger list. This shows that the strategy to help African countries is working well.

What Happens Next

Removing a site from the World Heritage in Danger List means it is safer now. But these sites will still be watched closely. They can now receive more help and funding to keep them protected. This also encourages other countries to follow the same example.

Microsoft Launches BioEmu: A Groundbreaking AI to Accelerate Protein Research

In a major scientific and technological breakthrough, Microsoft has launched BioEmu, a powerful AI-based system designed to revolutionize how we study proteins — the tiny building blocks that drive every process in the human body. Announced by Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, BioEmu aims to speed up what used to be a slow, complex, and expensive process of understanding protein movement and behavior.

Nadella described it as a tool that delivers insights in hours instead of the years of computer simulation previously required.

Why Are Proteins So Important?

Proteins are essential molecules that carry out almost every function inside living organisms. From repairing tissues to digesting food and defending against viruses, proteins are involved in it all. What makes them tricky to study is that they are not static — they constantly change shape and move, a process scientists call “conformational changes.”

Understanding these shifts in structure is critical to:

Learning how diseases form
Designing new drugs
Advancing genetic and synthetic biology

But until now, studying these movements has been extremely time-consuming and required supercomputers and expensive simulations.

What Is BioEmu and What Does It Do?

Developed by Microsoft Research’s AI for Science team, BioEmu is an AI system built to simulate how proteins move and behave inside the human body. It can predict protein structures, how they shift over time, and even identify hidden features within them — something that traditional methods often miss.

What Makes BioEmu Unique?

It uses deep learning models trained on massive datasets including:

Over 200 milliseconds of molecular dynamics simulations
More than 500,000 protein stability experiments
Vast amounts of 3D structural data

Instead of taking years, BioEmu can generate these predictions in just a few hours.
It’s capable of detecting “cryptic binding pockets” — hidden parts of proteins that could become new drug targets.

These features make BioEmu vastly faster and more efficient than traditional methods.

How Accurate Is BioEmu?

According to Microsoft Research, BioEmu version 1.1 can closely match real-world experimental results:

Its prediction error is less than 1 kcal/mol, which means it’s incredibly precise.
It shows strong correlation scores above 0.6 when tested against large datasets of protein behavior.

This level of accuracy proves that BioEmu isn’t just fast — it’s also reliable and scientifically valid.

What Problems Does It Solve?

Traditionally, understanding how a single protein behaves could take months or even years of using powerful GPUs (graphics processing units) to run molecular dynamics simulations. These simulations are complex because they need to calculate how every atom moves over time.

BioEmu eliminates this bottleneck by predicting the entire range of movements a protein can take — called a “structural ensemble” — without the need for such long simulations.

It can even capture large domain shifts, local unfolding, and other complex movements that are often key to a protein’s function in disease or healing.

Impact on Drug Development and Medical Research

One of the most exciting uses of BioEmu is in drug discovery. Many drugs work by attaching to proteins and changing their behavior. But if we don’t fully understand how a protein changes shape, it’s hard to make a drug that fits perfectly.

BioEmu helps solve this problem by:

Revealing new drug-binding sites
Helping design better-targeted therapies
Speeding up the early stages of medical research and development

This means that scientists can go from idea to testing in a fraction of the time, potentially speeding up how quickly new treatments reach the public.

A Tool for the Future of Science

BioEmu isn’t just useful in healthcare. It also opens doors in fields like:

Synthetic biology (designing new proteins from scratch)
Genetics and DNA engineering
Basic biological research in universities and labs

Because BioEmu is based on generative AI, it can imagine a wide range of possible protein behaviors and predict unseen possibilities, just like AI can generate text or images.

Its speed and intelligence are expected to redefine what’s possible in life sciences.

Published and Peer-Reviewed

The science behind BioEmu has already been peer-reviewed and published in the prestigious journal Science, showing that the technology has passed rigorous checks from experts in the field. This confirms that BioEmu isn’t just a tech demo — it’s a scientifically proven tool ready for real-world use.

Which District is Known as the Moonland of Rajasthan? Know the Name

Rajasthan is a land of colors, culture and deserts. Every district in this state has its own charm and story. Some places are known for their forts, some for their lakes and others for their wildlife. But there is one special district in Rajasthan that looks so unique and different, people say it feels like walking on the surface of the moon. Let’s explore this magical place.

An Overview of Rajasthan

Rajasthan is a large state in northwestern India, known as the ”Land of Kings.” It covers a big part of the Thar Desert and is the largest state in India by area. Rajasthan shares its borders with Pakistan and five Indian states, including Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The Tropic of Cancer also passes through its southern tip, making its climate mostly hot and dry.

Number of Districts in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has 33 districts, which are organized into seven administrative divisions. Each district is then further divided into sub-districts and blocks. This system helps the state manage governance and services more efficiently.

Moonland of Rajasthan

Kishangarh, a city in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, is known as the Moonland of Rajasthan. This name comes from its marble dumping yard, where white marble waste covers the ground, making it look like a snowy or moon-like surface. The area has become a popular spot for photography and tourism because of its unique appearance.

Why is Kishangarh Known as the Moonland of Rajasthan?

Kishangarh got this unique title because of a marble dumping yard nearby. This yard is filled with white marble waste, like slurry and dust, from the local marble industry. Over time, this white waste covered the ground completely, creating a snow-like surface.

When you look at the area, it feels like you are walking on the moon or in snow-covered mountains. Because of this dreamy look, people started calling it the ”Moonland of Rajasthan” or even the ”Switzerland of Rajasthan.”

It has also become a popular photography spot for tourists, filmmakers and wedding shoots.

An Overview of Kishangarh

Kishangarh is a city in Rajasthan, India, known for its rich art, history and marble industry. It is called the ”Marble City of India” because of its large marble market. Kishangarh is also famous for its unique painting style, especially the Bani Thani artwork. The city has beautiful places to visit, like the Kishangarh Fort and Gondulav Lake, attracting many tourists.

Kumar Mangalam Birla Joins US-India Business Forum Board

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, was appointed to the Executive Committee of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). This is a major step that strengthens the business and economic partnership between India and the United States.

Birla Joins USISPF Board Executive Committee

Kumar Mangalam Birla, one of India’s top business leaders, has joined the Executive Committee of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). He said it is an “honour” to be part of the committee. The announcement was made during the USISPF Leadership Summit held in Washington, DC.

The USISPF is a key organization that builds strong ties between the two countries by bringing businesses and governments together. It has members from global companies worth over $10 trillion and employing over 6 million people worldwide.

Big Investments in the United States

Mr. Birla leads the Aditya Birla Group, India’s third-largest business group, and the biggest Indian greenfield investor in the United States. The group has invested more than $15 billion in 15 US states.

One major project is a $4.1 billion aluminium rolling and recycling plant in Bay Minette, Alabama, developed by Novelis, a US-based company owned by the Group. This plant is the largest industrial investment in Alabama’s history and the first of its kind in 40 years.

A Leader in Global Business

Over the past 30 years, Kumar Mangalam Birla has transformed the Aditya Birla Group into a global company worth $66 billion, operating in more than 40 countries with 180,000 employees. He has led over 60 global acquisitions, one of the most by any Indian business leader.

At the Leadership Summit, Mr. Birla received the 2025 Global Leadership Award for his strong role in international business and in improving US-India economic relations.

Praise from Global Business Leaders

Several global leaders welcomed Mr. Birla to the board. John Chambers, Chairman of USISPF, said Mr. Birla will help the group explore “new paths.”
Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, called Mr. Birla a “visionary leader.”
Raj Subramaniam, CEO of FedEx, said Birla’s global vision will make the board stronger.

Mr. Birla said, “The US-India partnership is one of the most important in the world. Together, we can shape the future of global business and innovation.”