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Indian Scientists Develop AI Tool to Decode Disordered Proteins

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  Researchers at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, have developed a deep-learning tool that can predict how intrinsically disordered proteins bind to their partners. The breakthrough addresses a long-standing challenge in molecular biology and opens new possibilities in disease research and drug discovery. Why Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Matter Unlike most proteins that fold into stable three-dimensional structures, intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) lack a fixed shape. These shapeshifting molecules are central to cellular life. They regulate signalling networks, control gene expression, assist protein folding and quality control, and help form dynamic cellular structures known as condensates. Their flexibility, while biologically advantageous, has made them difficult to analyse using conventional structural biology techniques. The Disobind Deep-Learning Tool The newly developed tool, named Disobind...
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VoxelGrids Unveils India’s First Indigenous MRI Scanner

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  In a major boost to India’s medical technology ecosystem, Bengaluru-based start-up VoxelGrids has developed the country’s first fully indigenous MRI scanner. The milestone marks a significant step towards reducing India’s heavy dependence on imported diagnostic equipment and strengthening the “Made in India” push in high-end healthcare technology. Breakthrough in Domestic Medical Imaging The 1.5-tesla MRI scanner developed by “VoxelGrids” has been deployed at the Chandrapur Cancer Care Foundation near “Nagpur”. The system is the outcome of a 12-year effort led by founder “Arjun Arunachalam”, aimed at designing and manufacturing MRI technology entirely within India—an area traditionally dominated by global players. Cost and Technology Advantages Unlike conventional MRI machines produced by multinational firms such as “Siemens” and “GE HealthCare”, VoxelGrids’ scanner does not use liquid helium. This innovation reduces manufacturing costs by nearly 40 per cent. The company has also...
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Param Rudra Supercomputer Launched at IIT-Patna

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  In a major boost to advanced research and high-performance computing in eastern India, the first Param Rudra supercomputer in Bihar has been inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Technology Patna. The facility marks a significant milestone under India’s National Supercomputing Mission and is expected to strengthen the region’s scientific and technological capabilities. Historic Milestone for Bihar The Param Rudra supercomputer was formally launched on Friday, making IIT-Patna the first institution or government establishment in Bihar to host such a facility. The inauguration was carried out by Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Officials described the development as a transformative step that will enable researchers to undertake complex computational work locally, reducing dependence on facilities outside the state. Role Under National Supercomputing Mission The supercomputer has been established under the N...
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India’s UPI at 10: Why Millions Still Don’t Use the World’s Biggest Digital Payments System

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  As India’s flagship digital payments platform nears a decade, the success of the Unified Payments Interface is unmistakable. In November alone, it processed over 20 billion transactions, with nearly 500 million unique users — close to half of India’s addressable population. Yet, beneath these impressive aggregates lies a quieter question that will shape UPI’s next phase: who are the millions still not using it, and why? A decade of scale, but an incomplete picture UPI’s rise has been central to India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) story. From small kirana shops to large e-commerce platforms, it has reshaped everyday transactions by making real-time, low-cost digital payments ubiquitous. However, the public data available on UPI remains largely system-centric — focusing on transaction volumes, values, and technical performance indicators such as uptime and failure rates. While these metrics capture efficiency and resilience, they say little about who is being left out. The...
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Indian Railways Deploys AI Systems to Prevent Wildlife Deaths

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  Indian Railways has strengthened its   Artificial Intelligence -based safety framework to protect wildlife on railway tracks, particularly in forest and elephant corridor regions. The enhanced system aims to reduce collisions involving elephants, lions and tigers by providing advance alerts to train crews, marking a significant step in integrating technology with wildlife conservation. AI-Based Alerts for Loco Pilots Indian Railways has deployed AI-enabled cameras along vulnerable track sections to detect the presence of large animals. These systems alert loco pilots nearly 500 metres in advance, allowing sufficient time to slow down or halt trains. The initiative is designed to minimise accidents involving wildlife while ensuring safer train operations in ecologically sensitive zones. Intrusion Detection Using Distributed Acoustic System A key component of the initiative is the AI-enabled Intrusion Detection System based on a Distributed Acoustic System. This technology det...
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BlueBird Satellite Launch Set for December 24

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  India’s heavy-lift launch vehicle LVM-3 is set to place a major US commercial satellite into orbit on December 24, marking another milestone in the country’s expanding role in global space commerce. The mission will be executed by NewSpace India Limited under a commercial agreement, highlighting India’s growing credibility as a launch service provider for high-mass foreign satellites. Launch Schedule and Mission Profile Indian Space Research Organisation has confirmed that the LVM3-M6 mission will lift off at 8.54 am from the second launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission was initially planned for mid-December but was rescheduled to December 24 following internal readiness assessments. The launch will place the BlueBird Block-2 satellite, also referred to as BlueBird-6, into low Earth orbit. Role of NSIL and LVM-3 Vehicle NewSpace India Limited is responsible for executing the launch under a commercial contract. While the PSLV has historically been India’s workhors...
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CSIR–CFTRI Advances Annatto Research and Post-Harvest Technologies

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  The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has highlighted significant progress in annatto research and technology development through its constituent laboratory, the CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR–CFTRI), Mysuru. These initiatives focus on value addition, post-harvest processing, and diversified food and non-food applications of annatto, a natural colourant crop with growing industrial relevance. Grant-in-Aid Projects and Institutional Support CSIR–CFTRI undertook four Grant-in-Aid projects related to annatto research and development. Of these, three projects received funding from the Ministry of Food Processing Industries , while one was supported by the Department of Biotechnology . In addition, the institute is a participant in the CSIR Mission Mode project “Bioresource Conservation & Prospection (CSIR-BioCap)”, which aims to develop Vitamin-E enriched annatto oil for food, cosmetic, and allied applications. Post-Harvest Technologie...
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