Our private space ecosystem can become major force for India and the world, PM tells start-ups

New DelhiAug 24, 2026 04:11 AM IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NSA Ajit Doval met CEOs and founders of space start-ups in New Delhi, Friday. (ANI)Lauding them for showing the courage to take up challenges in a new realm, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a group of space entrepreneurs that they could become the strongest magnet for attracting global scientific and technological talent to India. Ahead of the National Space Day on Sunday — the third anniversary of Chandrayaan-3 landing on the Moon in 2023 — Modi met founders and CEOs of over 20 space start-ups, and congratulated them for the successes they have had so far. “You have shown tremendous courage. It is great to see India’s youth working in areas like this. It was difficult to imagine just a few years ago. “People working in this field anywhere in the world should think that if they have to make a career, and do something great, they should go to India, get connected to India’s space ecosystem, start working with one of your companies. I believe very strongly that because of you we can attract a global talent pool to India. And that can become a big strength for India,” he said. India has opened up its space sector for domestic private players, offering favourable policies and incentives for companies wanting to work in this area. Over 400 space start-ups — like Agnikul, Skyroot and GalaxEye — have come up in the last few years. GalaxEye co-founder Pranit Mehta told the Prime Minister that many Indians working in other countries were showing interest in coming back. Antariksh Parichha and Monika Ekal of the Bhubaneswar-based company Serendipity Space met Modi for the first time. Their start-up recently tested a satellite that can work as a space-based manufacturing facility for certain drugs. “It was a great opportunity for us to tell the Prime Minister about the work we are doing. He is extremely enthusiastic about the space sector, and very sharp in grasping things. He could immediately connect the technologies being built to the real value created on the ground for the people – which is the ultimate measure of the work we are trying to do,” Parichcha said. “He (Modi) wanted to know the interest of pharmaceutical companies in India in trying out the facility being created by Serendipity Space, and asked us about our plans to scale up. I think this meeting was very important for mature and emerging space start-ups… it was a huge boost for our morale,” he said. Modi promised the young entrepreneurs the government’s support and a stable space policy. “I have always been of the opinion that whatever decision we take, we should be consistent with our policy. And I am happy that you have reposed trust in our effort. You are taking immense risks. It is possible that you would sometimes stumble, but you should have the confidence that you will continue to have government support,” he said. Modi encouraged the space start-ups to explore new applications of their technologies and focus on how these can make people’s lives easier.

Motorists drive through rain in Anna Salai on Sunday. With the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, having forecast rain due to convective activity till Tuesday, many places in and around the city witnessed light to moderate rain on Sunday evening. m. m. 2 mm of rain. Many places like Meenambakkam, Thoraipakkam, T. Nagar, Tambaram and Chintadripet witnessed intermittent showers with long spells of drizzling. Many streets had water running. Roads like Rajiv Gandhi Salai and GST were flooded at the usual points.

Before and after: Erling Haaland chops off his blond locks ahaed of new season. (X/Erling Haaland X)Ahead of the new Premier League season, Erling Haaland broke the internet when he chopped off his iconic golden locks and debuted a new buzz cut hairstyle. Haaland shared the look on his social media accounts and uploaded a full video on YouTube where he showed the reactions of former coach Pep Guardiola as well as former Sweden and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “This beautiful long hair, time to let it go. I was thinking of doing it after the World Cup but I was so busy so I didn’t do it. “You are lucky you have hair,” Guardiola said over video call while Ibrahimovic said, “What the f**k did you do? You lost a et or what? Oh my god. com/KuJBCwlk1s — SPORTbible (@sportbible) August 23, 2026 Haaland is expected to debut the new look in Manchester City’s first league match of the season vs Bournemouth. City will begin a new post-Pep Guardiola era at home to Bournemouth. A new manager is in the dugout in Enzo Maresca, key players Rodri, Bernardo Silva and John Stones have departed and, for the first time ‌in years, there are genuine questions ​about what City ​will look like. City didn’t have the best of starts in the Community Shield last Sunday, losing 3-0 to Arsenal. Arsenal opened the scoring after just 23 seconds ​when ​Riccardo Calafiori was ⁠put through on goal, before they doubled their ‌lead when Gianluigi Donnarumma could not keep out Kai Havertz’s header. Arsenal’s new signing Christos Tzolis then provided a second assist when ⁠he set ⁠up skipper Martin Odegaard for the third ⁠goal ‌three minutes into ​the second half, with ‌the Premier League champions looking fitter and sharper ‌than City. Maresca’s ​side ​showed ​only flashes of their attacking threat, with ​Phil Foden and Erling ⁠Haaland forcing saves from David Raya, but the Arsenal goalkeeper ‌stood ⁠firm to preserve a clean sheet.

The 12-year-old daughter of NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar's personal assistant was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Baramati in Maharashtra's Pune district on Sunday (August 23, 2026), officials said. A probe into the case was under way from all angles, police said. The deceased was the daughter of Mr. Pawar's PA Ajit Dashavatare, they said. According to sources, the girl had a minor argument with her mother over some issue before leaving home in anger on Saturday. When she did not return, her family lodged a complaint with the police. The body was found near her residence in the Sainagar area of Rui village in Baramati Tehsil on Sunday morning (August 23, 2026), as per the police. "The police have launched an investigation into the case and are examining all possible angles," a senior official said.

A recent paparazzi video of actor Kareena Kapoor Khan sparked pregnancy rumours on social media. In the viral clips, Kareena is seen walking towards her car as members of her team follow her. At one point, a team member holds an umbrella in front of her, shielding her from the paparazzi’s view. The video, particularly the attempt to shield her from photographers, led to speculation about whether she was pregnant. Kareena has now reacted to the rumours. Taking to her Instagram account on Saturday, Kareena posted a hilarious photo on her Stories. The post featured a man showing off his bloated stomach in a mirror selfie, while the song “Chocolate Lime Juice” from Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! played in the background. She added laughing and pizza emojis, seemingly suggesting that food was behind recent appearance that had sparked pregnancy speculation. Kareena Kapoor’s Instagram StoryLater in the day, Kareena Kapoor was snapped in Mumbai wearing a yellow shirt and black trousers. ” However, a source close to Kareena confirmed to SCREEN that she was not pregnant. “She is not pregnant. The rumours are false,” the source said. Saba Pataudi’s reaction to Kareena Kapoor’s pregnancy speculation Before Kareena Kapoor’s reaction, her sister-in-law Saba Pataudi quashed the pregnancy rumours on Instagram. Sharing a video on her Story, Saba wrote, “A bad angle … Or a bad hair day! How can everyone assume another extreme!! She walked out of an airport looking slick, classy and slim, and today out of a gym! That’s it!! I’ve been convincing my sister to have a 2nd child … wish that was true! She’ll kill me for saying it! Live n let live guys. Some things are left private. No speculation needed. ” Saba Pataudi’s Instagram StoryKareena Kapoor Khan is already a mother of two sons with Saif – Taimur (9) and Jeh Ali Khan (5).

A Panama-flagged cargo ship sank in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday (August 22, 2026), about 240 nautical miles from the Paradip coast in Odisha, officials said. The ship, with 24 crew members on board, was heading towards Singapore carrying iron ore from Odisha, they said. The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy have launched a rescue operation, they added, "We are not sure how many of the crew members have been rescued," a senior IPS officer told PTI, adding that most of the crew members were Chinese. "The ship left the Odisha coast on Friday [August 22, 2026]," the officer said.