New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) India has produced over 40 quantum technology startups in two years, few of them with global potential, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, said on Saturday.

The minister directed officials to focus on the flagship National Quantum Mission and work on the development of quantum technologies and quantum communication.

“India is currently on an equal pedestal with other nations in terms of quantum technologies,” the minister said, adding that our mission should be to establish India as a global leader in quantum technologies.

He shared the success story of ‘QuNu Labs’, a Bengaluru-based startup incubated by IIT Madras.

The startup recently signed an MoU with the Technology Development Board (TDB) for the development of security products based on quantum technologies.

The minister also said that women’s participation in research and development (R&D) has doubled in the last 10 years.

Going further, nearly 300 women scientists are going to receive research grants for three years from the government under the ‘ASPIRE’ scheme, he mentioned.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to empower and provide ease of living to the last man standing should be the aim of our innovation,” the Minister noted.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) In order to provide an ideal life for the elderly, widows and the disabled, if there is a need to change the rules and regulations of the scheme, then amendments should also be made, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said.

In a meeting on the action plan for the next 100 days of various schemes of the ministry, the Minister emphasised implementing the action plan in a strong and effective manner.

“We all have to work together with full strength on every scheme of rural development, only then Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of a developed India will be fulfilled,” said Minister Chouhan.

While discussing the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), the minister mentioned that we have to structure the project for an ideal life for the elderly, widows and the disabled, “for which we have to take every problem seriously”.

Emphasising the importance of District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees (DISHA), the minister said there is a need to strengthen the Disha Committees further.

The minister said he would write a letter to all the newly-elected MPs to request them to ensure that the meetings of the Disha Committees are held on time.

On Thursday, Minister Chouhan told officials to work towards achieving the target of creating three crore Lakhpati Didis in villages ahead of the three-year deadline as part of a stepped-up action plan.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) A novel non-invasive technique has saved the life of a 55-year-old patient in Delhi-NCR who was suffering from a life-threatening ruptured brain aneurysm condition, a team of doctors said on Saturday.

The aneurysm had caused a massive brain hemorrhage, leading to severe headaches and episodes of vomiting, in the patient named C. G. Ramesh.

Doctors at Fortis Hospital in Greater Noida successfully treated him with a non-invasive technique called ‘Neuro-intervention aneurysm coiling’.

“We employed a unique modification of the traditional technique known as Neuro-intervention aneurysm coiling, not widely practiced in many centers in Delhi-NCR,” said Prashant Agarwal, consultant neurosurgeon.

Using an advanced catheter inserted through the blood vessels, the team achieved near-complete occlusion of the aneurysm without any incisions or stitches on the patient’s skull.

This minimally invasive endovascular approach not only sealed the weakened area but also significantly reduced the risk of further bleeding, said doctors.

“This procedure offers minimal risk and complications, both during and after the operation, leading to swift and effective patient recovery,” Agarwal added.

This innovation is particularly beneficial for patients over 50 who may be hesitant about open brain surgery.

While the exact cause of brain aneurysms is unclear, individuals with a history of hypertension and smoking are at higher risk.

“Although more common in older individuals, we are seeing cases in patients as young as their early 30s,” said doctors.

They said that Ramesh has made a full recovery, resuming daily activities without any recurring symptoms of headache or vomiting.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) The fundraising by the Indian startup ecosystem reclaimed its upward trend this week with nearly $202 billion via 21 deals.

This is a massive over 100 per cent rise from last week when the startups secured about $98 million in 10 deals.

Cleantech startups maintained the lead, with EV startup Battery Smart raising $65 million led by LeapFrog Investments.

The equity round saw participation from new and existing investors, including MUFG Bank, Panasonic, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Blume Ventures and British International Investment.

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) skincare firm Foxtale raised $18 million in a round led by Singapore-based Panthera Growth Partners.

Another beauty and makeup brand, Renee Cosmetics, raised Rs 100 crore (around $12 million) in a Series B funding round led by existing investors Evolvence India and Edelweiss Group. The current funds were raised at a valuation of Rs 1,200-1,400 crore.

In another major news, quick grocery delivery platform Zepto is set to raise nearly $650 million from existing and new investors. According to sources, the funding will take the valuation of Blinkit’s closest rival to around $3.5 billion.

Zepto recently said that it plans to go public in the next 2-3 years.

–IANS

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New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) When tech billionaire Elon Musk says that future wars will be won by nations with the most effective drones, he is not bluffing at all.

The Indian Army has received the first batch of ‘suicide drones’ called ‘Nagastra-1’ which can strike enemy training camps and launch pads in border areas with precision and save soldiers’ lives.

According to reports, these high-tech drones are made in India by Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Industries in Nagpur.

The Army placed an order of 480 such drones and at least 120 of them have reportedly been delivered.

What are these ‘suicide drones’?

‘Nagastra-1’ is a type of “loitering munition”, where the aerial weapon is designed with an in-built warhead, designed to loiter around an area until a target is located and then crash into it.

These indigenously developed drones offer more selective targeting as the attack can be changed mid-flight or even aborted.

In a ‘kamikaze mode’, the drone can neutralise any threat with a GPS-enabled precision strike with an accuracy of 2 metres.

Weighing around 9 kg, the fixed-wing electric unmanned Ariel vehicle (UAV) has an endurance of 30 minutes, a man-in-loop range of 15 km and an autonomous mode range of 30 km.

It can apparently carry a 1 kg warhead up to a range of 15 km and an upgraded version can carry a 2.2 kg warhead up to 30 km distance.

In case a target is not detected or if the mission is aborted, the suicide drones can be called back and make a soft landing with a parachute recovery mechanism, enabling them to be reused multiple times.

Drone-based wars are now frequent worldwide.

Earlier this month, Ukraine attacked Russian targets with a total of 25 combat drones, with one drone said to have reached deep into the Russian Caucasus.

Yemen’s Houthi group also claimed fresh attacks on the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower, another US warship and four commercial cargo vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea via drones earlier this month.

Since November last year, the Houthi group has launched anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones targeting what they said were Israeli-linked ships transiting the Red Sea to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden last year announced a slew of defence and technology deals, including armed SeaGuardian drones.

The two leaders welcomed India’s plans to buy General Atomics’s armed MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAVs, which will be assembled in India.

The drones will enhance the ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capabilities of India’s Armed Forces across domains.

–IANS

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