Sohini Das &Amp; Shine Jacob

Stories by Sohini Das &Amp; Shine Jacob

Vikram-S private rocket launch could be India's SpaceX moment

Vikram-S private rocket launch could be India's SpaceX moment

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2022

'The current launch is a sounding rocket, this cannot be called a milestone. The importance is this is for the first time a private player is doing it.'

New Covid strains may lead to spike in hospitalisation, fear experts

New Covid strains may lead to spike in hospitalisation, fear experts

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

An immune-escape Covid-19 strain coupled with the natural spike in influenza and pneumonia cases during winters may lead to a rise in hospitalisation.

How Mamallapuram Came To Be Top Tourist Site

How Mamallapuram Came To Be Top Tourist Site

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2022

Mamallapuram's Group of Monuments -- a collection of 7th- and 8th-century religious structures -- attracted 46 per cent of the total foreign tourists who visited India compared to 12 per cent by the Taj.

Isro launches 36 OneWeb satellites in first commercial launch for LMV-3

Isro launches 36 OneWeb satellites in first commercial launch for LMV-3

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2022

On Sunday, at 12.07 am in Sriharikota, off the coast of the Bay of Bengal, it was almost like an early Diwali, with the sky lit up by the launch of 36 OneWeb satellites. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) did the launch on a 43.5-metre-tall Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) rocket. After the countdown, which started 24 hours in advance, once the mega screen marked the launch, a select group of invitees at the gallery cheered by applauding the feat.

Spectrum auction to hurt India's satellite play, says Sunil Mittal

Spectrum auction to hurt India's satellite play, says Sunil Mittal

Rediff.com   24 Oct 2022

Spectrum allocation for satellite services came up as a dominant theme at the launch of 36 communication satellites by OneWeb, a Bharti group venture, here on Sunday. Following the launch, Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Mittal, in a conversation with a group of reporters, reiterated that spectrum auction did not make sense in the case of satellite services. "This (satellite services) is not competing with mobile services where you can justify the auction.

Why Govt Wants To Ban These Cough Meds

Why Govt Wants To Ban These Cough Meds

Rediff.com   17 Oct 2022

Codeine-based formulations are under the scanner for misuse as a narcotic product.

iPhone 14 production cut may not impact Apple's India plans: Experts

iPhone 14 production cut may not impact Apple's India plans: Experts

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2022

The Apple iPhone comprises 44 per cent of the global smartphone market's revenues and it is the second most-such device to be shipped after Samsung. More than half of smartphones used in the US are iPhones. More than 7 million iPhones are expected to be sold in India in 2022, extending the user base to 20 million, according to market research and analyst firm Techarc. Hence, the news about Apple scaling down its production target for iPhone 14 in India has made news.

Majority of Mercedes-Benz models in India to be EVs by 2030: CEO Schwenk

Majority of Mercedes-Benz models in India to be EVs by 2030: CEO Schwenk

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2022

Driven by a rise in sales during the current year, German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz said on Thursday that the company is expecting a growth in sales of around 8-10 per cent in the next few years. This comes at a time when the company is ready to surpass the previous highest sales of 15,538 vehicles (2018) in 2022. During the first half, the company sold 7,600 units. It already has an order bank of around 7,000 vehicles. In 2021, the company sold 11,242 vehicles.

Now, medical device resellers need to register

Now, medical device resellers need to register

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2022

The Centre has asked traders and resellers of medical devices to register in an attempt to expand the ambit of regulating the medical devices industry in the country. The move can have far-reaching consequences for both consumers and traders alike as products like face masks or prophylactics - now sold through grocers and other channels - may face issues of availability. In a notification dated September 30, the union ministry of health and family welfare said anyone wanting to sell, stock, exhibit or offer for sale or distribute a medical device, including in-vitro diagnostic medical device, will need a certificate of registration.

30% of two-wheelers will be electric by 2030: Study

30% of two-wheelers will be electric by 2030: Study

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2022

India will have 30 per cent of its two-wheeler industry turning electric by 2030 as new manufacturers lead the shift, said a report on Monday. Passenger vehicles will be 15 per cent electric and the three-wheeler segment 75 per cent electric by 2030, said the report by BNP Paribas called 'India Autos-Electric vehicles: Minutes to midnight'. "We see FY22 as the year of inflection for the two-wheeler EV industry, with an accelerated EV adoption helped by incentives, wider availability, model launches, rise in crude prices and improved general awareness. We see 30 per cent of the 2W industry turning electric by 2030; the pace of incentive withdrawal presents an upside/downside risk," the report (India Autos - Electric vehicles: Minutes to midnight) said.

Sharp Spike In Fever Cases

Sharp Spike In Fever Cases

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2022

'This year there is a sharp spike in fever cases, and it seems to be more than the pre-COVID-19 levels.'

Hard choice for MSME med device makers: Get licence by Oct 1 or shut shop

Hard choice for MSME med device makers: Get licence by Oct 1 or shut shop

Rediff.com   27 Sep 2022

The transition of Class A and Class B medical device makers to the licensing regime by October 1 seems to be an uphill task with several small and medium manufacturers saying they are still awaiting the audit from the government authorities. If the licenses don't come through, either due to lack of audits or MSME units not clearing the audits, then a few thousand small-scale medical device units will face the issue of business continuity in three weeks. Class A medical devices are those with low to moderate risk to the patient or user (surgical dressings for example), while Class B medical devices refer to devices with moderate risks that require special controls (catheters for example).

Tatas to invest $90 bn in India in 5 years

Tatas to invest $90 bn in India in 5 years

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2022

The Tata group is planning to invest $90 billion in new industries such as mobile components plant, semiconductor, electric vehicles, batteries, renewables energy and e-commerce by 2027. The Tata group's investment in India is far higher than the $75-billion investments planned by Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries and $55-billion investment planned by the Adani group in the next five years in the country, the Economist reported recently. The investment by the Tata group is a shift in its strategy to focus more in the home markets instead of international markets where the group lost money.

Amazon readies plan for 100% dependence on renewable energy by 2025

Amazon readies plan for 100% dependence on renewable energy by 2025

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2022

As part of its road map to achieve 100 per cent dependence on renewable energy by 2025, Amazon on Wednesday announced its first utility-scale renewable energy projects in India - three solar farms located in Rajasthan. These include a 210-megawatt (Mw) project to be developed by India-based developer ReNew Power, a 100 Mw project to be developed by local developer Amp Energy India, and a 110 Mw project to be developed by Brookfield Renewable Partners. By the end of 2021, the company had reached 85 per cent renewable energy across its business.

Moscow now wants biz in ruble, trade may take a hit

Moscow now wants biz in ruble, trade may take a hit

Rediff.com   19 Sep 2022

Russian traders have started asking for payments in ruble for their exports to India in a move that could derail trade between the two countries which gathered pace after the war in Europe. This is because Indian importers are unable to pay in ruble. The India-Russia trade gathered pace after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February this year. In the April-June quarter, India's imports from Russia were valued at $9.27 billion, up 369 per cent year on year.

Ni-kshay Mitra: Crowdfunding To Fight TB

Ni-kshay Mitra: Crowdfunding To Fight TB

Rediff.com   17 Sep 2022

This would be India's largest crowd-funded programme to help patients with a particular disease.

34 new drugs added to 'essential medicines' list, 26 dropped

34 new drugs added to 'essential medicines' list, 26 dropped

Rediff.com   14 Sep 2022

As many as 34 new drugs were added to and 26 dropped from an updated list of essential medicines on Tuesday, with the government saying this will reduce "patients' out-of-pocket expenditure". The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM 2022) has 384 drugs, up from 376 in 2015. "Drafting this list is a lengthy process, and around 350 experts from across India have held over 140 consultation meetings to draft the NLEM 2022," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.

Kerala likely to witness all-time high liquor sales this Onam

Kerala likely to witness all-time high liquor sales this Onam

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2022

Kerala is likely to witness all-time high liquor sales this Onam, the harvest festival, with the season already reporting a 30 per cent hike. According to the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BevCo), the first few days of this Onam season have set the tone for record sales. "During last year's Onam season, our sales were around Rs 561 crore. This year, we expect it to be over Rs 700 crore," said Yogesh Gupta, chairman and managing director, BevCo.

Ford India offers final severance package for Chennai unit employees

Ford India offers final severance package for Chennai unit employees

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2022

Ford India has offered a "final revised severance package" for its employees at the Chennai unit, which is on average equivalent to 130 days of gross wages per completed year of service. The company said this was rolled out in the absence of any suitable alternative buyer. As part of the earlier package, employees were offered 115 days of gross wages for each completed year of service, which was later revised to 124 days.

Coming Soon, New Ways To Vaccinate

Coming Soon, New Ways To Vaccinate

Rediff.com   3 Sep 2022

'Just put a patch on your arm and the vaccine can be absorbed by the body.'